Mykola Ridnyi

is a co-founder of the SOSka group in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and has participated in and co-curated significant exhibitions of oppositional art in Ukraine.

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Mykola Ridnyi was born in Kharkiv (UA) in 1985. Lives in Kharkiv.

2008 – graduated from Kharkiv State Academy of design and arts. Since 2005 is a member of the SOSka group. Mykola Ridnyi was a participant of CEC ArtsLink residence program, New York, Santa Fe, US (2009), Sommerakademie in Centre Paul Klee in Bern, CH (2011), marathon-camp Truth is concrete on the Steirischer Herbst festival in Graz, AT (2012).

Works with installation, video, sculpture and found objects. Cunducts curatorial and writing activities.

Selected solo exhibitions: 2012 – “Labor Circle”. CCA Zamek Ujazdowski, Bank Pekao Project Room. Warsaw, (PL).

Selected group exhibitions: 2013 – “The Monument to a monument”. The Ukrainian National Pavillion at the 55-th Venice biennial for contemporary art. Palazzo Loredan, Venice, (IT). “In the heart of the country”. Museum of modern art. Warsaw, (PL). 2012 – “The Best Of Times, The Worst Of Times – Rebirth And Apocalypse In Contemporary Art”. 1-stKyiv biennial for contemporary art. Mystetskyi Arsenal. Kyiv (UA), “Ukrainian body”. Visual Culture Research Centre. Kyiv, (UA), “The False Calculations Presidium”. Museum of Business and Philanthropy, Moscow, (RU). 2011 – “The Global Contemporary. Art Worlds After 1989”, Centre for art and media, Karlsruhe (DE)

http://www.mykolaridnyi.com

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Petersburg Street University

TranslitFounded due to the temporary closure of the European University in Saint Petersburg in 2008, the SU has lived on as an autonomous initiative dealing with issues such as runaway urban development, activist interaction with the police, art and democracy, and censorship.

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Founded in 2005, Translit is a literary-critical anthology, publishing outfit and community of poets, philosophers and humanities scholars. The editors of the anthology aim to bring forward various fields of confrontation in contemporary literary theory and the literary process. The first issue was devoted to the gender framework of poetry; the second to the “role of personality” in poetics; the third to the forms and features of the co-production of texts and reality; the fourth sought to investigate the forms of contemporary poetry’s social being in the context of its (poetry’s) secularization. The fifth issue asked the question, “Who is speaking?”, which nowadays implies a mapping of the intra-poetic (narratological) registers of speech production, as well as inevitably necessitating an investigation into the interrelationship of the speaking subject with instantiations of language and ideology. The following double issue (6/7) was devoted to investigation into the contingencies and obstacles involved in a transition from the rejection of the non-aesthetic (“everyday life”, byt) towards the active appropriation of this non-classical material. This process assumes a reassessment of aesthetic methods and is to a certain extent capable of leading to the transformation of art’s social functions as well. The latest, eighth issue of Translit presents an attempt to view literature as anthropological experience, cultural institution and social practice. The authors emphasize that they are primarily interested in the “transition from the investigation of literary facts belonging to an aesthetic series, to the analysis of the interactions between series and, first and foremost, between art and the socially political context”
http://trans-lit.info/english.htm

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Arkhangelsk Assembly

In Arkhangelsk, the Re-Aligned project held an assembly including local artists, curators, thinkers and representatives of several independent and state art institutions. Interestingly, it was a rare occasion for the local scene to be gathered in one space. The event took place in the “Koleso”club, which is a self-sustainable institution, unlike many others in town, which mainly hosts independent concerts.

Ekaterina Sharova, who comes from Arkhangelsk, but has long been based in Oslo, helped organise the event. According to her and others present, art education in Arkhangelsk is still based on the Soviet tradition, and there is no education on theory and history of contemporary art. Translations of contemporary philosophy are available, but this knowledge is poorly understood and communicated to the sphere of artistic practice.

Both representatives of institutions, such as the Dobrolyubova regional library (Department of Arts), the Art Museum, the Northern Arctic Federal University (Culturology and Philosophy Departments) as well as independent artists from Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk where present at the seminar. These included figures such as Alyona Sevastyanova, Ilya Kuzubov, Sasha Menukhov and Anastasiya Yurchuk.

According to Sharova, who has been working to develop the contemporary art scene in Arkhangelsk since 2012 through several seminars and “brainstorming meetings”, the Re-Aligned Assembly was an important unifying platform for young and established local cultural workers and artists. It showed the advantage of self-organising, and initiating new artistic initiatives in art and education in the region, and connecting them to the much broader high-north, Nordic and international contexts.

Photos from the

Arkhangelsk Assembly

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A ‘non-aligned’ intelligentsia

The below article introduced the term “non-aligned” to describe an art-political position-taking within society in the late Soviet and early post-Soviet period. The term has since been developed. It can clearly be seen as a historically-specific positionality, typical of postmodernist attitudes, overcome by a shift towards “re-alignment”.

 

A “Non-Aligned” Intelligentsia
The Leningrad Neo-Avantgarde and the Afterlife of Nonconformism

 

Abstract:

This article proposes a hypothesis of the repeated stratification of the Leningrad-St. Petersburg artistic field into an ‘official’, an ‘official un-official’ (or oppositional) and a third ‘non-aligned’ intelligentsia. It describes a logic of double-distinction and succession whereby competing intelligentsia mainstreams were substituted by their avant-garde periphery. This hypothesis is tested in reference to the ‘non-aligned’ groups founded by the artist and ideologue Timur Novikov (1958-2002). Three major shifts are described: from the late-Brežnevite early-1980s to the apolitical radicalism of Novikov’s New Artists;from the latter Perestroika-era anarchistic underground to the playful ‘classicism’ of the New Academy of Fine Arts in the 1990s; and from this postmodern international orientation to an arch-reactionary, neo-imperial posturing at the turn of the 2000s. Lastly, the legacy of this ‘non-aligned’ intelligentsia is described and raised as a possible precedent, or indeed, a model for understanding other avant-garde peripheries seeking to distinguish themselves from (often mutually-exclusive) centres.

Keywords: The field of art, underground, nonconformism, Timur Novikov, non-aligned, distinction, Bourdieu, intelligentsia, Leningrad, St. Petersburg.

Full article:

Cambridge SEET – A Non-Aligned Intelligentsia Stodolsky Published

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Ekaterina Sharova

Curator and journalist, Russia/Norway

Ekaterina was born in Arkhangelsk (Russia) and lives in Norway since 2004.
MA in History of Art from the University of Oslo, and background in literature theory and aesthetics from University of Tromsø, Pomorskij State University (Arkhangelsk) and the Norwegian Institute in Rome.
Was teaching contemporary aesthetics at Northern Arctic Federal University.

Currently, curates a program of Russian videoart with Tanja Thorjussen (Atelier Nord, Oslo).
Writes about arts and politics for Colta.ru, Klassekampen, Subjekt. Collaborates with magazine FolkMag (Oslo) on mediation of contemporary art to immigrants.

Interested in art in public space, discussion on responsibility and artist’s freedom and art after the end of the Cold War.

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Alex Vens a.k.a Sad Face

Sad Face

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Ekaterina Samutsevich (Pussy Riot)

Ekaterina Samutsevic had experience at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute and a defense enterprise behind her, when she decided to study art.  Joining the actionist current in autumn 2011, she was a core co-founder of Pussy Riot. Of the three members of Pussy Riot prosecuted for their action Mother of God, Drive Putin Out, she is the only one to escape a jail sentence, although she is still prohibited from leaving the country.

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Ekaterina Samutsevitch wrote:

“I was born in Moscow on August 9, 1982. After completing secondary school in 1999, I entered the Moscow Power Engineering Institute from which I graduated in 2005. I worked at a defense enterprise for two years when I gave up my job and enrolled in the Rodchenko School of Photography and Multimedia (Moscow). I finished my studies in 2009. Going into art practice, I was mainly in the current of actionism. In autumn 2011, I became a co-author and one of founders of Pussy Riot,  the idea of which already appeared in 2010.”

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SOSka Group

was founded by Mykola Ridnyi, Serhiy Popov and Ganna Kriventsova in 2005, and has pushed the boundaries of curatorial and artistic practice of what is considered acceptable in the Ukrainian context.

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SOSka group was found in 2005 by Mykola Ridnyi (born 1985), Serhiy Popov (born 1978), Ganna Kriventsova (born 1985) in Kharkiv, UA. Currently SOSka group includes two regular participants: Mykola Ridnyi and Serhiy Popov.

In 2005 – 2012 participants of the group ensured curatorial activities connected with SOSka gallery-lab in Kharkiv – independent platform for developing local art sphere.

In 2009 curated international exhibition “The New History” in Kharkiv museum of art.

Since 2011 the group co-founded Days of appartment exhibitions, a festival of self-organized exhibitions in Kharkiv.

Awards and fellowship

2007 – Young artist prize from CEE Henkel Art Award. Vienna. AT

2008 – artist-in-residence program. KulturKontaktAustria, Vienna. AT

2011 – Guest Room Maribor, residence program. Maribor. SL

Selected solo exhibitions

2010 – “Memorial”. Curated by Francesca Solero. Project WE. Turin. IT

2009 – “Barter”. Curated by Vesna Krstich and Nikolas Drosos. The Cardboard gallery, Dumbo art centre. New York. US

2008 – “Dreamers”. Solo exhibition. Project Room, PinchukArtCentre. Kyiv. UA

Selected group exhibitions

2013 – “Ukrainian News”. Center for contemporary art Ujazdowski Castle. Warsaw, PL

2013 – “Living as form (the nomadic version)”. Center of creative initiatives Fabrika. Moskow, RU

2012 – “Environ. Expirience of non institutional relationships. Kharkiv, 2004 – 2012”. Center of creative initiatives Fabrika. Moskow, RU

2012 – “Shelter”. Kunstverein das weisse haus. Vienna, AT

2012 – “Double game”. Special project of the 1st Kyiv biennial for contemporary art Arsenale. Art Arsenal. Kyiv. UA

2012 – “Angry birds”. Museum of modern art. Warsaw. PL

2011 – “The Global Contemporary. Art Worlds After 1989”. Curated by Peter Weibel, Andrea Buddensieg. ZKM / Centre for art and media. Karlsruhe. DE

2011 – “A Complicated Relation, part II”. Curated by Martin Shibli. Kalmar Konstmuseum. Kalmar. SE

2011 – “Impossible Community”. Curated by Victor Misiano. Moscow Museum of modern art. Moscow. RU

2011 – “An Elusive Object of Art”. Curated by Iara Boubnova. Galerie Dana Charkasi. Vienna. AT

2010 – “Intercool 3.0”. Curated by Birgit Richard, Inke Arns. Hartware MedienKunstVerein / Dortmunder U. Dortmund. DE

2010 – “IF. Ukrainian art in transition”. Curated by Ekaterina Degot. Musem for contemporary art. Perm. RU

2009 – “Wakefield Meadows”. Curated by Anca Mihulet. Pavilion UniCredit. Bucharest. RO

2009 – “The (Re) Socialization Of Art”. Curated by Reinigungsgesellschaft. Museum of modern art, Odessa, UA

2009 – “The future was yesterday”. Curated by R.E.P. group and Loose Associations. Student center gallery. Zagreb. HR

2009 – “Il Castello di Rivara apre le cantine”. Curated by Francesca Solero. Centro d’Arte Contemporanea Castello di Rivara. Turin. IT

2009 – “Curated by”. Gallery Hubert Winter / Vienna fair. Vienna. AT

2009 – “The New History”. Curated by SOSka group. Kharkiv museum of art. Kharkiv. UA

2008 – “New Print Politick: Post-Soviet Politics and Contemporary Art”. Ukrainian Institute of modern art. Chicago. US

2008 – “Artists in residence”. Art point at KulturKontaktAustria. Vienna. AT

2008 – «Grabbing at straws». Curated by Negative Capability (Chris Sharp, Joanna Fiduccia). Guenzani studio. Milan. IT

2008 – “68:08. Politics on streets”. Project Fabrica. Moscow. RU

2007 – “The Art World”. Gallery Feinkost. Berlin. DE

2007 – “Communities. Young art of Ukraine”. Gallery Arsenal. Byalystok. PL

2007 – “Critically in between”. Curated by Viktor Misiano in frame of exhibition cycle “Progressive nostalgia”. Art-Athens. Athens. GR

2006 – «Team colors». Gallery «F.A.I.T». Krakow. PL

2006 – «New communities». Caucasus biennale of contemporary art. Tbilisi. GE

2005 – «XXX». Gallery-laboratory SOSka. Kharkiv. UA

2005 – «SOSka artists». Gallery-laboratory SOSka. Kharkiv. UA

Selected publications and reviews

“Scouting Ukraine: SOSka group” by Ekaterina Rietz-Rakul and Steve Schepens, Metropolis M magazine, №3 (33), Amsterdam, 2012

“Angry birds”. Exhibition catalogue. Museum of moder art, Warsaw, 2012

“The Global Contemporary. Art Worlds After 1989”. Exhibition newspaper. ZKM / Centre for art and media. Karlsruhe. 2011

“Fin arts – Die feine Kunst und die Kunst der Finanzen” by Irini Athanassakis. Kunstforum International, № 200: Kunst und Wirtschaft, 2010

“Post Gogol” by Steve Barnes. ARTnews, volume 109 / №5. New York, 2010

“To the South and Slightly to the West” by Ekaterina Degot. “If. Ukrainian art in transition”, exhibition catalogue. Perm museum for contemporary art, 2010

“Torino. Noi alternative. We” by Lorena Tadorni. Flash Art Italy, May, 2010

“We are Ukrainians” by Claire Staebler. Flash Art International, № 269, November-December, 2009

“The Vallue issue” by Elsy Lahner / Jasper Sharp. Parabol Art magazine, №5. Vienna, 2009

“Wakefield meadows” by Anca Mihulet. Wakefield meadows, exhibition catalogue. Unicredit Pavilion, Bucharest, 2009

“Prospects of a loboratory” by Mykola Ridnyi and Anna Kriventsova. Moskow Art magazine, № 73/74, 2009

“Nothing but your dreams. On Dreamers project by SOSka group” by Victor Misiano. Dreamers, exhibition catalogue. PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv, 2008

“Between action and institution” by Ganna Kriventsova, Moskow Art magazine, № 67/68, 2008

“Eastern Unorthodox: Artists in search of a post-Soviet Ukrainian reality” by Jason Foumberg. Newcity Art, Chicago, September, 9th, 2008

“Catalogue / Art World /” by Ivan Mecl. Umelec English version. Prague, №1 – 2008

“Vom Nonkonformismus zur Orange revolution. Zur aktuallen Kunst der Ukraine” by Hlib Vysheslavsky. Postorange, exhibition catalogue. Kunsthalle, Vienna, 2006

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Curatorial Research – Kyiv Biennale and Around

The first Ukrainian biennial in the capital of Kyiv (Kiev) provided an opportunity to get to know a wide cross-section of the Russian and Ukrainian artistic scene. Alongside the impressive international exhibition curated by David Eliott, they exhibited in multiple independent and parallel projects.

The alternative and political artistic circles from Ukraine, such as the SOSKa group, were likewise well-represented at Truth is Concrete in Graz.

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TV interview in St. Petersburg

 

Interview with Ivor Stodolsky and Marita Muukkonen on local St. Petersburg TV-station, on the programme “Philosophical Fast Food”

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