International Northern Irish sculptors Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels have created an interactive waterfall sculpture for Mystetskyi Arsenal, the National Museum of Art and Culture in Kiev, Ukraine.
The project is a memorial to the tragic loss of over 10,500 lives since 2014 during the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine. This is a subject that Jamison and Revels feel very passionate about, recognising how such devastation is often ignored by global press, world leaders and sometimes even distancing or denial by some within the region.
Visitors are encouraged to roll a vibrant sheet of yellow paper and insert the scroll into the wire structure of the installation. As it progresses, the room becomes filled with an ocean of yellow shapes radiating outwards. It is a mass-collaboration whereby the people of Ukraine can share in the ownership of the artwork.
In 1991, in the aftermath of the coup in Moscow, the Ukrainian parliament voted for Ukraine's independence which was later confirmed by a national referendum. In early 2014, a revolution saw Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych ousted from office. He had directed Ukraine towards closer integration with Russia. Two major reactions occurred to this revolution in a simultaneous timeframe. Firstly, the Crimean peninsula was annexed from Ukraine by the Russian Federation during February to March 2014. Secondly, Russian-backed separatists in the Donbass region of Eastern Ukraine broke out into war against the new Ukrainian government and its armed forces. The Europe-leaning President Petro Poroshenko was elected on 25 May 2014 and is the current head of state. Tragically, four and a half years on, Eastern Ukraine remains in conflict to this day. Despite many efforts to create a sustained ceasefire on the front line, causalities continue to flood in on a daily basis. 1.4 million citizens have been internally displaced with a further 0.9 million relocating to other countries.
Despite this major conflict 200km to its east, the city of Kiev is a thriving cultural metropolis, bursting with creativity. Established in 2003, the Art Arsenal is not only the largest museum in the country but also one of the biggest in Europe. Visitors enjoy the eight metre high vaulted ceilings and it spans a total of 60,000 square metres. The building is an architectural monument of national importance, erected from 1783-1801 by Lieutenant-General Ivan Meller for the needs of the Kiev garrison.
Revels states that "it seems fitting that the Arsenal building started life as a military factory, and now, 217 years later, the 'Waterfall' sculpture transforms the vast chambers into an interactive memorial to the tragic loss of soldiers and civilians. Through our own experience growing up during the 30 year conflict in Northern Ireland, this is a subject close to our hearts. We hope the exhibition attracts a broad audience and the artwork is warmly welcomed by the people of Ukraine."
'Waterfall' was on display at Mystetskyi Arsenal as part of the 2018 'Arsenal of Ideas' interactive exhibition, an annual festival that attracts over 12,000 visitors a year. The museum was open for 5 days from Wednesday 26 to Sunday 30 September 2018. Please note the exhibition has now closed.
The mission of Mystetskyi Arsenal is to contribute to the modernisation of Ukrainian society and Ukraine's integration into the world context, building on the cultural value potential.