Bolsa Yuriy

New old town
New old town 280x400 cm, mixed media, 2023
About the artwork

“A work about renaming my hometown Chervonohrad. The renaming of cities as part of the decommunisation process is a complex issue that evokes different points of view. Some consider it a right step, as it aims to correct historical injustices and remove symbols associated with authoritarian regimes of the past. This can help build a new society based on democracy and human rights. On the other hand, some believe that renaming cities may be too radical a step and may involve the loss of historical heritage, which can be important for cultural identity.

At the same time, it is important to maintain a balance between decommunisation and preserving historical roots. Human memory is a complex mechanism that always responds to changes in the environment, dividing time into historical and personal periods. At the same time, this memory can also influence the way a person perceives and relates to change. There is a natural tendency to favour the preservation of positive memories from the past that give life to the negative environment around us. Change can lead to the loss of valuable connections to the past, where the memory of positive moments and emotions is important for self-identity.”

More about the artwork Close down
Bolsa Yuriy
Date of birth: 1997
Place of residence: Chervonohrad, Kyiv

Yura Bolsa was born in 1997 in Chervonohrad.

His artistic practice began with his self-imposed confinement in an apartment for 6 years, so the author works with personal stories dominated by loneliness, self-destruction and the study of the surrounding society through the prism of alienation.

After moving to Kyiv, he began to work more with socio-political issues that resonate with his traumas. The main focus is the theme of destruction and change that leads to the emergence of something new.

Graduated from Higher Vocational School No. 11 in Chervonohrad, specialising in computer typing and layout (2012-2015).

He is a member of the artistic centre at the Institute of Automation at 22 Nahirna Street, Kyiv.

Personal projects

Negative sides, Arteria Museum of Contemporary Art, Odesa, 2016

Rash decisions, Chech Gallery, Ivano-Frankivsk, 2018

Live, don’t be afraid, Dymchuk Gallery, Kyiv, 2018

Anti-romance, Ornament Art Space, Kyiv, 2019

Home, Museum of Contemporary Art of Odesa, Odesa, 2022

More about the author Close down

Artworks Bolsa Yuriy