Katie Tobin In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine, 1900–1930s at the Royal Academy, 29 June – 13 October 2024. . .
I’d be interested in hearing about the broader significance of the modernist movement in Ukraine – particularly given the historical backdrop of the time. How does this context inform the artists’ practice? Katia Denysova: At the turn of the 20 th century, Ukrainian lands were divided between two empires – the Russian and the Austro-Hungarian. The modernist movement in Ukraine, therefore, pursued a twofold agenda of recovering and creatively reconstituting national pictorial traditions to assert Ukraine’s cultural autonomy within the imperial context while also seeking to integrate local practices into the modernist idiom.
While engaging in a degree of retrospectivism, Ukraine’s artists were nevertheless part of an international artistic community, attuned to the latest developments and trends across the European continent. What kind of unique characteristics or styles emerged in Ukraine around this time, and how did they reflect ideas of cultural identity during this period? Konstantin Akinsha: Since the early decades of the 20 th century, Ukrainian artists endeavoured to establish a distinct national art style, drawing inspiration from the abundant heritage of Ukrainian folk art. The influential art group known as the Boichukists also delved into the legacy of Byzantine art, particularly medieval mosaics and frescoes.
It is noteworthy th.
