Visit The Ukrainian Museum in New York to see three compelling exhibitions: “Alexandra Exter: The Stage is a World,” “Volia: Ukrainian Modernism,” and Molly Gochman’s sculptural work “UKR|RUS.”
“Alexandra Exter: The Stage is a World” is the first major solo exhibition of the avant-garde artist in North America, featuring over 60 works from 1913 to 1934. The exhibit explores her formative years in Kyiv, where Ukrainian folk art profoundly influenced her bold, avant-garde style. It showcases her early abstract paintings, innovative theater set designs, and the iconic costumes she created for the silent film “Aelita, Queen of Mars.” Even as she worked internationally, Exter’s Ukrainian roots remained central throughout her career. This exhibition highlights her role as a pivotal figure linking Ukrainian folk traditions with the European avant-garde.
The “Volia: Ukrainian Modernism” exhibition emphasizes Ukraine’s decolonization by showcasing prominent early 20th-century Ukrainian artists like Alexander Archipenko, David Burliuk, Alexander Bohomazov, Maria Syniakova, Vasyl Yermylov, and Alexis Gritchenko. The exhibit highlights their contributions to Ukrainian art and culture, which Russian imperialism had long suppressed and appropriated. The title Volia, meaning both “freedom” and “willpower” in Ukrainian, reflects the avant-garde movements in Ukraine and their efforts to break free from Russian narratives and distortions.
Molly Gochman’s installation “UKR|RUS” questions the human cost of imperialism while celebrating the resilience of Ukrainians and their cultural history. The sculptural bench, shaped like the Ukraine-Russia border, is made from reclaimed wood, rubble, and marble, symbolizing the scars of conflict and the hope for rebuilding. Installed in historically Ukrainian communities across New York City, the piece invites reflection on Ukraine’s sovereignty and the ongoing struggle against Russian aggression.
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