“For many centuries, Ukrainian art was either recognized as Russian or simply destroyed. The question of Ukraine’s self-determination and its place in the world context became especially acute during the full-scale invasion.

In the period from 1917 to 1921, the Soviet Empire replaced the Russian Empire inheriting its lands. Western Ukrainian territories that belonged before to Austro-Hungarian Empire became first Polish, and then also Soviet. Between these transitions there was a brief period of Independence known as the Ukrainian War of Independence. On January 22, 1919, the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the West Ukrainian People’s Republic were united into a single state by the “Unification Act”.

Despite the division between empires, Ukrainians preserved own linguistic, folk, and artistic integrity. Therefore, the cultural heritage is one of the most important factors in the issue of decolonization. On this path, it is important to distinguish the Ukrainian art and its meaning in the development of national identity.”

Dr.Nadia Tymchuk, November 2023 Independent Curator, Art Critic, and Deputy Dean/Professor at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and Researcher with NAMU.

Dr. Nadiia Tymchuk

Dr. Nadiia Tymchuk (Pavlichenko), born 1989, Ukrainian. Received a professional education in the field of Cultural Studies at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (Bachelor and Master Levels 2006–2012; Postgraduate Studies 2012–2015). Since 2010 has been working as the Researcher at the National Art Museum of Ukraine (NAMU). Since 2017 combines scientific work with work in the field of charity as CEO “Charitable Foundation of NAMU”. In March 2017, successfully defended a dissertation thesis on the history of Ukrainian art market for the degree of Candidate of Culturology (corresponds to the international PhD in Cultural Studies). From that moment along with the work at the museum started as a Senior Lecturer at the Cultural Studies Department and later as Deputy Dean (since 2019) of the Faculty of Humanities at the National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”.

As an independent curator and art critic participated in different projects, among which the OgoArt project (2016–2018) devoted to promotion and development of young Ukrainian artists, and number of personal exhibitions. Published as a freelance art-critic at “The Day” newspaper in the section of culture (2019–2022).

Seán Kissane

Seán Kissane is Curator of Exhibitions at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Dublin. He curates deeply researched exhibitions focused on the work of female and queer artists whose work has been critically neglected. These projects have included major touring exhibitions such as the retrospectives for Derek Jarman, Leonora Carrington, and Mary Swanzy. In 2016 he presented the critically acclaimed ‘Patrick Hennessy: De Profundis’, the first queer reading of Irish modernism. He is currently a PhD candidate at Gradcam, TU Dublin.

SELF-DETERMINATION – A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
28 Oct 2023 – 21 April 2024 / Garden Galleries, Main Galleries, East Wing

Self-Determination: A Global Perspective is the culmination of a three-year research project focusing on the new nation-states that emerged in the wake of the First World War, exploring the role of art and artists in relation to the expression of national identities, nation-building, and statecraft. The juxtaposition of historical and contemporary perspectives is a key element of this project.

For this major international exhibition, IMMA has worked in dialogue with a range of partnering museums and institutions worldwide, drawing on the expertise and specialist knowledge of a network of advisors and borrowing key works from national and international collections. A particular highlight is the cooperation of the National Art Museum of Ukraine (NAMU), who have organised the sending of major works from Kyiv to Dublin for the exhibition.
See more details here