The Ukrainian Museum of Contemporary Art hosts a unique, decentralized exhibition spanning different genres and disciplines

The Museum of Contemporary Art Public Organization unveiled the Ukrainian Museum of Contemporary Art Project, which encompasses various artistic media, including architecture, urbanism, and cinema.

Rubryka informs about this.

What is the problem?

Museums possess a remarkable power, as they are specialized institutions that safeguard the memory of humanity, preserving the tangible carriers of this memory. The potential of people to acquire and utilize stored information for the progress of society is widely unappreciated at present. This presents a tremendous opportunity for collaboration.

In Ukraine, museums serve as an integral part of the institutions that work to preserve national memory and identity. They serve to bridge the culture of Ukraine to the world's cultures, playing a significant role in the development of Ukrainian society. It is sincerely hoped that museums will be properly funded in the coming decade and take their rightful place in the country.

With the beginning of hostilities, museums closed their permanent exhibitions. It will not be possible to renew them until the end of martial law. Funds were evacuated to safe places and bomb shelters. This is also part of the museum's work.

Specialists have partly remained on site and partly accompanying the collections as the situation is ever–changing and dependent upon security considerations. Wherever possible, museum personnel have been remaining with their collections.

What is the solution?

Work has already commenced on the restoration initiatives involving an extensive restoration project. This pertains to the revival of demolished structures and the formation of expositions post–war. These processes are incredibly lengthy and costly, thus rendering foreign collaborators and special intergovernmental programs pivotal for Ukraine. It is exceptionally challenging to fund such projects independently.

Currently, the Museum of Contemporary Art Public Organization launched the Ukrainian Museum of Contemporary Art project.

How does it work?

UMCA is a museum institution of a new type. It is not a single museum but a network consisting of autonomous institutions in regions that interact through a digital platform.

"The museum has no premises but has its collection and will work at various sites as a resident or co-organizer of art events," say the founders.

The museum's digital platform provides access to an organized database of works of Ukrainian art from the second half of the 20th-21st century from state and private collections.

The museum's collection includes works of art of various directions and genres, such as architecture, urban planning, cinema, performing arts, objects, and fashion design. Currently, the collection includes 116 works created after February 24, 2022. The non-governmental organization purchased them with funds from international donors.

The museum will collect works created since 1954 when Ukraine received the borders in which it became a sovereign state in 1991.