Projekt rewolucja. Artyści na Majdanie w Kijowie
Project Revolution – Artists on the Maidan in Kyiv

Summary/Abstract: Artistic responses to the Maidan can be seen as a new form of socially and politically engaged art, whose methods and language are adapted to today’s times. Artists used the internet, in particular, to launch several projects in support of the Maidan. The Facebook page “Strike-Poster” functioned as a database of anti-government political art (prints and posters) to be used by the protesters. A new form of social media was launched – “hromadske.tv”, an internet television channel that functioned as a source of uncensored news, including cultural news. Among other projects was the creation of an artistic enclave (Artistic Barbican) on the Maidan, where exhibitions of often non-professional political art were held. A number of individuals carried out a series of performances in the square with a clear political message, and various participatory projects were organized, such as Maidan Post, with postcards designed and printed by artists themselves. Well-known artists of the younger generation joined the demonstrations and either documented them (e.g. photos of barricades by Alevtina Kahidze) or produced portraits of the revolutionaries, including those who died (Lesia Khomenko, Serhij Radkievich). Recent developments in Kyiv have clearly shown once again that in a divided society, such as post-communist Ukraine, the gaps between social groups can be closed by turning to basic principles, such as personal freedom, dignity and civil liberties, as well as national myths. In order to succeed, these revolutionary impulses need to come from within society. In this process, art and artists play a crucial role in building a common platform for communication. The events in Ukraine led to a re-evaluation of the importance of art functioning outside of institutions and the art market, and which is capable of speaking about issues of crucial importance to today’s world and the fundamental values upon which civil society is based.

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