In New York, in Manhattan, at the jubilee international exhibition 40th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition at Agora Gallery, three original collages by Ukrainian artist Iryna Borodin were presented. The artist’s works are dedicated to Ukrainian cultural memory, identity and the experience of migration, and were included in the exhibition among works by artists from different countries of the world.
Ukrainian artist and graphic designer Iryna Borodin told Vilni Media about this.
This August, the jubilee 40th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition opened at Agora Gallery in Chelsea (Manhattan, New York), where among the 40 selected participants, Ukrainian artist Iryna Borodin, originally from Zbarazhchyna, Ternopil region, is also represented.
The exhibition includes three of her works: “Cry of the Ancestors”, “Echoes of Heritage” and “Roots of Identity”. The series of works presented explores the connection between generations, the interaction between Ukrainian roots and a new life in the diaspora. Through artistic images, the author addresses the theme of cultural heritage, which is preserved regardless of the place of residence.
In particular, “Cry of the Ancestors”, according to the artist, is an invisible but strong connection with previous generations. This is a subconscious legacy – our inner strength, traditions and resilience, which we inherited from our families and brought with us across the ocean. And “Echoes of Heritage” – Understanding how Ukrainian roots sound in everyday American life, where family stories do not remain in the past, but continue to live, acquiring new meanings in the diaspora environment. The search for harmony between the land where we were born and the country where we build the future today is opened by the third work “Roots of Identity”. As the author notes, this work is a dedication to all who learn to preserve their Ukrainianness, being thousands of kilometers from their native home.
The artist works in the technique of analog and mixed collage, using paper, textures and archival materials. Her work raises the themes of memory, heritage and the search for one’s own identity, which are especially close to Ukrainians living outside the Motherland.
“In my collages, I explore Ukrainian cultural memory, identity, migration, women’s experience and the connection of a person with their roots. For me, this exhibition is an opportunity to talk about Ukrainian culture in the language of contemporary art in an international environment,” said artist Iryna Borodin.
Iryna Borodin’s participation in the international exhibition was her artistic debut in New York and another example of the presence of contemporary Ukrainian art on the cultural map of the United States.
“Being not just spectators, but creators and ambassadors of our own culture is what unites us in America today. Each such event allows us to show the world how deep, vibrant and powerful contemporary Ukrainian art is overseas,” noted Iryna Borodin.
Photo: provided by Iryna Borodin
Prepared by: Inna Mikhno