Hedwig Fjen, in last week’s inauguration of Manifesta 14, the nomadic European biennial being held in Kosovo revealed her plans to hold the 17th biennial in Ukraine in 2028. The announcement was met with wide wide enthusiasm by the Ukrainian cultural workers as an essential part of the sporting and bolstering the art science during times of war.
The Ukrainian Institute, based in Kyiv will handle the organizations for the event locally. Instead of this collaboration through the Ukrainian Ministry of Freogin Affairs, preliminary agreements with cultural organizations nationally and internationally are already underway.
The core belief behind the country’s participation as the host is well put by the organizers from Ukraine
“The proposed central idea for Manifesta 17 is to establish a network of new art and culture educational institutions in different cities and towns across Ukraine by 2028,”
So, here are some of the reasons why this course of action stands to benefit the art scene of Ukraine and European cities.
- The experiences of the Ukraine people amidst the destitution caused by the Russian army have provoked increased resistance in the artistic communities of Ukraine and have revealed their willingness to celebrate and highlight their cultural establishments.
- If Manifesta were to be hosted in Ukraine it would foster a two-way door between the European counties and the world. This will strengthen the cultural network which has already begun with the presence of Ukrainian-born artists and cultural managers internationally.
- The recent surge of international exhibitions showing Ukrainng artists has demonstrated the quality of art produced by the nation despite the difficulties faced by the war. In a grand way to show solidarity and a shared spirit of resilience, Manifesta stands to support the national network by bringing together the non-profit, government, and commercial initiatives for a shared purpose of celebrating their culture.
- Manifesta allows its visitors and followers to understand the importance of politically disputed territories as agents of cultural impact. The biennial will give a voice to the country by giving it the space to talk about its realities. This is what is happening right now in Kosovo as Manifesta 14, recognizes the closure of shared borders with Serbia.
- Holding Manifesta 17 in Ukraine stands to become a part of a larger ‘offensive’ towards Russian cultural aggression by the Ukrainian culture as a decolonial gesture, according to the director of Hermitage, Mikhail Piotrovsky.
- Finally, Manifesta’s mission of seeking fresh and fertile terrain for the mapping of a new cultural topography to discover emerging centers of contemporary art in Europe is being fulfilled. This expansion into Ukraine shows great promise for the creation of new networks and potentially becoming a fresh alternative to sharing cultural diversity.