auction of ukrainian art at the legendary museum berlin karlshorst
Category: Latest, Reflections

Auction of Ukrainian Art at the Legendary Museum Berlin-Karlshorst

A charity auction of Ukrainian art will take place on June 10 at the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst (Zwieseler Str. 4). The event is organized by the charity organization AIRLIFT in partnership with the online art platform G.ART Gallery and UNITED24, and is held under the patronage of Minister of State CARSTEN SCHNEIDER.

You can help Ukraine, which is still at war, by purchasing works by renowned Ukrainian artists. The war, which started in 2014 with Russia’s occupation of Crimea and the occupation of eastern Ukraine, seemed impossible and absurd. Old Europe thought it had defeated totalitarianism long ago, established state borders, and bid farewell to the ghosts of the past. Everyone thought so, except Russia. The fact that the auction will take place at the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst is deeply symbolic.

auction of ukrainian art at the legendary museum berlin karlshorst
Museum Berlin-Karlshorst

In this building on the evening of May 8, 1945, the Nazi Reich ceased to exist, the surrender of the Wehrmacht was signed, and the Second World War ended in Europe. The museum, dedicated to the history of the war, opened in 1967. In 2013, the exhibition was renewed, and temporary exhibitions revealed many facets of Soviet-German relations in the 20th century. The Museum Berlin-Karlshorst is an international institution; Germans, Russians, Belarusians, and Ukrainians have worked on its projects, and the flags of the four states on the flagpoles outside the museum symbolized this cooperation.

On February 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Museum Director Jörg Morré and his colleagues decided to remove the flags of Russia and Belarus, leaving the Ukrainian flag as a sign of solidarity with that country. According to an official statement, today the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst provides assistance to Ukrainian museums, archives, and memorial sites that are under Russian fire and supports Ukrainian museum workers.

Today, a new history of Europe is being written on the fields of Ukrainian battles. Ukraine is resolutely breaking away from the Soviet-Russian version of the past, in which ideology replaced factuality and freedom of interpretation. This year, it was finally decided to celebrate the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II 1939-1945 together with Europe on May 8, instead of Russian Victory Day on May 9.

auction of ukrainian art at the legendary museum berlin karlshorst 1
Museum Berlin-Karlshorst

All of these contexts are, of course, important for the perception of the charity auction of contemporary Ukrainian art that will be held in the Great Hall of the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst in June. The G.ART Gallery online platform and the Ukrainian students’ charity organization AIRLIFT are grateful to Mr. Jörg Morré for supporting this project and for their active cooperation.

The auction lots undergo a careful curatorial selection process. The highly professional, original works represent the unique artistic styles of Ukrainian artists and carry profound meanings. Sixteen authors who are currently creating new art both in Ukraine and in other countries will be represented, all of whom tell stories of the past, present, and future.

Alongside these works, there will be paintings by Yuri Khymych (1928-2003), a renowned Ukrainian artist of the 20th century and a master of architectural landscapes. The task of the organizers is to select works in various styles and techniques that will not only adequately represent contemporary art in Ukraine but also become a cherished addition to private collections and inform future generations about our time.

The G.ART Gallery and AIRLIFT hope that the charity auction, the proceeds of which will go towards humanitarian and medical needs in Ukraine, will become a significant cultural event in Germany and Ukraine. May the beauty of art and the warmth of human hearts overcome the evil that has come to Europe today. 

Read more about AIRLIFT in our magazine.

 

Marina Polyakova
Cultorologist, journalist, art critic

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