"The Power of Art" in Lviv

In August 2010 a project called "The Power of Art" took place in Lviv. An exhibition of modern artworks collected by the Union of Art Encouraging of Lublin (Poland) and a symposium entitled "The Signs of Time" were the integral parts of this project.

THE SYMPOSIUM "The Signs of Time"

The symposium "The Signs of Time" is a realization of an intention to share Polish experience which focuses public and state activities on preserving and enriching of the cultural heritage of the country. We would like to demonstrate innovative achievements which influence the development of Polish and European culture. Participants will in a wider context analyze activities of the regional unions that create collections of the modern art in Poland; they will also discuss with their partners from Ukraine whether such a model can be universal and which opportunities exist for its adapting in other societies, political systems and economies. A very important task of the symposium is to form a common platform for exchange of experience in the sphere of research, analysis and creation of markets of the modern art. About 20 lecturers from Poland and Ukraine will take part in the symposium as well as a number of observers from the main cultural centers of Ukraine.After the symposium, a collection of works will be published that will include both delivered lectures and other research works and materials.

Why in Lviv: Similarity of the modern situation in Ukraine to Polish problems in the sphere of the art popularization and its collecting became a reason to initiate this project. The lack of appropriate programs providing financial support to the art development as well as low public awareness in both countries has recently caused almost complete decline of institutional collecting activities, first of all of collecting modern art works. "The market leakage" of artworks abroad and on top of that immigration of artists themselves also added to that factor. After the period of deep political and constitutional transformations, a need emerged in both nations to have qualitative changes in culture, which is being met slowly and in different ways. The mutual support of Poland and Ukraine in common efforts aiming to dramatically change the situation is grounded, necessary and extremely valuable.

The organizers of the PROJECT in Lviv are the following:
The Union of Art Encouraging of Lublin,
The Center for Urban History of East Central Europe
The Art Palace of Lviv
Art Association "Dzyga"

For more detailed information on the symposium please contact Bohdan Shumylovych, exhibition coordinator of the Center, by telephone + 38 032 275 17 34 or e-mail [email protected]