This exhibition examines how art serves as a tool for understanding the fundamental values of human existence amid historical changes, offering a new medium for creative dialogue that shapes ethical orientations and aids in the quest for truth.

In late June, a new exhibition project titled "Universalism" was launched at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Ukraine, initiated in collaboration with prominent Ukrainian artists, curators, and cultural institutions.

The project views art as a universal language capable of forming ethical principles, stimulating dialogue, and contributing to the search for truth within the complex realm of interpersonal and societal interactions.

The exhibition features works by contemporary Ukrainian artists, including Viktor Sydorenko, Oleg Tistol, Marina Skugareva, Oleksandr Liapin, Sasha Makarska, Vinni Reunov, Vasyl Tatarskyi, Anatoliy Tverdyy, Serhiy Korniyevskiy, and Anastasiya Poderyanskaya among others. Their works create a multidimensional space where art becomes a means of self-discovery, understanding society, and grappling with time.

According to the director of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Ihor Savchuk, in the context of war and the profound transformations Ukraine is experiencing, universal human values—life, freedom, responsibility, justice, and truth—gain particular significance. The exhibition aims not only to document artistic reflections on these challenges but also to create a space where these values can be lived, contemplated, and affirmed through art.

The curators believe that the exhibition is not structured as a linear narrative, but as an open system of interaction that appeals to the philosophical tradition of Plato. The viewer does not receive ready-made answers but engages in dialogue with the artworks, constructing their own logic of viewing and interpretation. This approach transforms the exhibition into an intellectual laboratory where art becomes a process of knowledge—through emotional experience and empathy.

Project curator Vitaliy Adlermann notes that "Universalism" is not a finished construct, but a space for inquiry where each piece raises questions, and the viewer becomes a conversational partner. The goal is not to impose interpretation, but to create conditions for independent contemplation.

The central theme of the exhibition is the tension between freedom and responsibility, between the artist's personal choice and their societal role. This balance is embodied through a conditional structure inspired by Plato's model of the state: philosopher-artists work with concepts and meanings (such as Oleg Tistol); warrior-artists pose difficult questions and expose conflicts (for example, Viktor Sydorenko); craftsman-artists work with materials, traditions, and corporeality (like Marina Skugareva and Anastasiya Poderyanskaya).

In a time when Ukraine is experiencing war and deep historical transformations, art emerges not only as a reflection of reality but as a conduit for meanings and values. The exhibition "Universalism" opens a space for philosophical reflection on the concepts of freedom, responsibility, truth, and justice as foundations for building the future.

Exhibition "Universalism"

When: until July 24, on weekdays from 11:00 to 19:00.

Where: Kyiv, Yevhena Konovaltsia Street, 18-d.

Free admission