Will the fight ever end? Fight is dominant and all-encompassing. ‘Homo lupus’ is part of life, undeniably. Yet, at the same time something else is happening. Alongside the fighting, people care for one another and seek connection. They reveal another side of humanity, despite the ceaseless struggle against the wolves.What does this say about human nature? How can the image of cruel wolves be reconciled with the idea of peace-loving doves? It is precisely in war, an extreme zero-sum situation, that all facets of life are magnified and intensified. It shows ultimate ruthless powerplay and, at the same time, immense loving care, creativity and moral strength.
FIGHT<CARE<PLAY<CONNECT
September - November 2026, Khanenko Museum Kyiv
Care, play and connect proof to be helpful ways to navigate in this heavy fight and hopefully to offer some relief of tension. In this exhibition these different elements are highlighted each in their own way. The works in Fight reflect the harsh reality of the moment. Every new attack causes unimaginable sorrow, damage and anxiety. It’s a creative reflection, not literally showing damage and destruction, but as enlarged snapshots of moments and feelings of anxiety. Care tries to offer a room of one’s own, getting to know your own heart according to Skovoroda. Play stimulates your mind and body, freely let it go, be curious to feel what happens, energised to be able to take a next step. Towards fight, towards inner research or towards connecting towards others. Connect is an invitation to be inspired by a displaced community, finding a feeling of togetherness and happiness by exploring their future together.
The Khanenko museum has a beautiful collection of textiles. Just as all artefacts, now safely stored away. However, the textile wallpaper is still there to be seen as part of the building itself. This is forming a strong part of Khanenko’s identity and became more prominent without any paintings covering it. It’s these wallpapers that became an inspiration for the works related to care and play that Marjo specially made for Khanenko. Coinciding with Khanenko’s view on its position as a museum, offering a place to the community, to get inspired, to relax and to be together. The installation in play as well as one of the works in fight is dedicated to the attacks in October 2022, when a bomb hit the playground just opposite the museum. This attack also damaged the museum severely.
Partners
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Khanenko Museum
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Narada
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The Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko Foundation
Photos by
Fulco Treffers and Marjo van Schaik