Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (Group Visit)

UIMA

23^rd of November, Saturday, we gathered at the school at 11:30 and went to the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA). Lingo, Hasti and me(Bishal) reached there around 12:15 and started our tour inside the gallery hall. There are two big exhibition space and in the middle little office of UIMA. One of the gallery spaces is showing their permanent collection of Chicago artists with the title Made in Chicago and Chicago’s Bauhaus Legacy, and another space showcasing special exhibition titled Artists Respond to Genocide. Even though gallery space is not that big, they put all the artwork together very thoughtfully and systematically. Therefore visitors can observe individual art piece freely. 

Holodomor Memorial Monument's design
by Larysa Kurylas

The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA) is located on 2320 W. Chicago Ave. Chicago, IL. 60622, and which is also known as Ukrainian village. This institute was founded in 1971 to help contemporary arts and artists from Ukraine and around the world.  UIMA is a not-profit organization and they always happy to accept any kind of support. For instance, anyone can offer financial support as a donor and help as a volunteer. This institute doesn’t have any gift shop, food facilities, and library, but they do have one corner of their exhibition catalogs which is in sale. Visitor can look at the catalogs if they don’t want to buy the one. The institute is free for public other than suggested donation and they open from 12pm – 4 pm every Wednesday to Sunday. 

First, we went to their permanent collection of art exhibition with paintings, sculptor, and other constructive art pieces. They also have up on show about the history of the institute. These works are created here in Chicago by different artists from various places. They display more than 25 paintings with oil, acrylic, and mixed media. Furthermore, they put more than 10 sculptors on display from their collection of diverse artists.  Normally, they put the artworks from their permanent collection up in the gallery for four months.

Afterward, we went to special exhibition called “Respond to Genocide”, which is dedicated to 80^th anniversary of the Holodomor – Famine – Genocide of 1932/33 in Ukraine. The artificial famine was created by Stalin and his government in that times Soviet Ukraine and killed more than 7 million people. In this huge number of people that was killed were children and young group.

Lydia Bodnar-Balahutrak, 2008/9

N.N. (Ningun Nombre), 2011.
by Mandy Cano Villalobos

N.N. (Ningun Nombre / No Name), 2011.

 Lingo with the installation art piece, 2013

Luckily we were encountered with one of the participating artist in this special exhibition and we asked her many related questions and little bit more about her own definition of Modern and Contemporary art. Erica Uzmann, the artist who created the piece called Terezin Reliquary, made out of copper, spray paint and stone.  Her work was reflection of one small boy’s feeling on such a horrific incident.

Terezin Reliquary, 2011

Artist Erica Uzmann with Bishal, Hasti, and Lingo at UIMA

Erica Uzmann, with her work

         In her own word, she told us that contemporary art falls under modern art and the entire living artist who works currently is called contemporary artist. She wants to open an umbrella of modern art and contemporary art is one of the arts that shares a shade from that umbrella.

We also asked one of her friend about her thought about art and we heard that she doesn't like contemporary art, but renaissance art of 14^th or 15^th century. This is so fascinating because she is there just because of her artist friend. 

Later on, we also interviewed one employee who was there at the time and worked there as a volunteer and help the institute by looking through the submission or proposal letter of differ artists, who wants to put their art work, around the country. She is very nice and welcoming person. We asked the definition of modern art and she said that term is wrong for present art context. Modern art means really old or outdated in today’s world. It’s called contemporary art and artist and that’s the only write word to define these art works. The answer of the specific question about contemporary art is that all the living artist in work, which shows their experience in one’s life and their communal life. The art that shows present context and makes sense in today’s world. 

Thank you............

............................................................for reading.

Our presentation slides
Please click this link
http://prezi.com/usgzyzaxco9h/ukrainian-institute-of-modern-art-uima/
and enjoy.
Cheers !