Resilience Formula

On October 31, the M17 Contemporary Art Center hosted the opening of the second part of the project “Resilience Formula” as part of the 16th Platform for Cultural Initiatives “New Directions.”

This marked the second exhibition of the project, which spans across three partnering institutions: the Modern Art Research Institute, the M17 Contemporary Art Center, and the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine.

The project aims to reveal how Ukrainians manage to hold on every single day and find new strength to continue the fight. Ukraine has an inspiring history of society’s adaptation to war.

The exhibition at the M17 Contemporary Art Center features works by: Yevhen Aksenenko, Antoniia Banitska, Petro Bevza, Tetiana Bohuslavska, Anastasiia Budnikova, Oksana Chepelyk, Mila Cheprasova, Illya Chichkan, Sasha Chichkan, Roksolana Dudka, Dmytro Ehrlich, Natalia Filatova, Olena Grom, Kate Hrynko, Mykola Hladkyi, Yulia Hladka, Vitalii Kravets, Maria Kulikovska, Dmytro Kupriian, Polina Kuznetsova, Igor Lesenko (GO. RA), Bohdan Lokatyr, Ruslan Luchko, Vartan Markaryan, Maria Matienko, Maksym Mazur, Nikita Naslymov, #NEIVANMADE, Bohdana Patsiuk, Nadiia Petrovska, Andriy Pidlisnyi, Anastasia Podervyanska, Mykhailo Rai, Oleh Savin, Antonina Semenova, Dara Sholokh, Olena Shtepura, Sergii Simutin, Victor Sydorenko, Nikita Tsoi, Ilya Turyhin, Nikita Vlasov, Liza Zhdanova, Marharyta Zhurunova, Gamlet Zinkivskyi.

“Today, it is essential to reflect on the resilience that has already been forged in Ukraine in the 11th year of war and to understand what exactly makes us stronger. At the same time, the artworks presented in the project not only relate to the main theme but also create a space for discovering additional, yet unrevealed meanings.” – Andriy Sydorenko, Curator of the exhibition project “Resilience Formula”

“Each institution’s exhibition presents a unique focus within the overarching project. At M17, the display centers around the idea of adaptation in these challenging times: maintaining the motivation to pursue one’s work every day, supporting the country and each other. At the same time, each artwork is a personal reflection of the artist, inviting discussion and interpretation.” – Iryna Yatsyk, Curator of the exhibition project “Resilience Formula”

“Everyone has their own ‘formula of resilience.’ In this project, we explore how, through art and creative practices, artists find the strength to continue working and creating.” – Natalia Shpytkovska, Director and “Resilience Formula” Project Manager from the M17 CAC

Curatorial concept of the project:

From a very early age, individuals learn to respond swiftly to danger, but in times of war, this skill must be honed even more rigorously than in peacetime. In this context, the example of people who not only recover quickly from stressful circumstances but also become better adapted to them in the future is particularly important.

Researchers refer to this phenomenon as resilience, which is now being studied in fields like sociology and economics. Resilience manifests in the ability to adapt quickly to changes, find new approaches to problem-solving, and maintain optimism and belief in a better future, even in extreme conditions. On a societal level, this phenomenon is observed in the ability to respond effectively to external threats, providing mutual support to overcome the social and economic upheavals.

It would be no exaggeration to say that Ukraine’s history is one of the most remarkable examples for studying this phenomenon. Two world wars, the Holodomor, political repressions, Chornobyl, revolutions, and now over ten years of war – there are few countries in the world that have withstood such trials. Yet, Ukrainians not only continue their struggle for independence but have become even more motivated in that pursuit.

One of the key components of the Ukrainian formula for resilience is historical memory. It is this memory that helps to renew the struggle even when it becomes way more difficult. In this sense, looking at the past, Ukrainians have studied their enemy historically and culturally far better than the enemy has studied them.

And russia can no longer make up for what it has lost, because doing so would require daily debunking hundreds of falsehoods created by its propaganda. From myths like Lenin supposedly inventing Ukraine to claims that the Ukrainian language was crafted by Austrian intelligence. But there’s really no surprise here, as russian society is currently far from being able to realistically assess even its present, let alone its past. The soviet-era tradition of reporting fabricated successes has led to a situation where russia lacks reliable information to make realistic forecasts. Not just because of propaganda, but because the truth itself undermines the foundations of russian statehood. At the same time, this Orwellian-like dystopia has become a source of numerous memes and satirical posters for Ukrainians. 

It is hard not to notice that the spontaneous mockery of modern russia by Ukrainians, both in everyday life and in mass media, has also become one of the components of resilience in Ukraine. This resilience is further strengthened by the fact that russian propagandists have failed to create anything remotely as popular on their side. Their criticism of Ukraine comes off as bland and insincere. What they do manage well, however, is presenting an authoritative tone and dissatisfied expression, which must carry some weight in their internal media market, as in Ukraine, this manner of communication, regardless of the topic, is seen as inherently toxic.

This contrast between information spaces vividly illustrates global cultural differences. Perhaps in the 1990s, when Ukrainian society had not yet fully distanced itself from Soviet times, this ‘Brezhnev discourse’ might have left some impression on part of the audience. However, today, after decades of overcoming soviet patterns, this ossified ‘prose of life’ seems like some tasteless, mothballed kitsch.

No matter the times, there’s a certain aversion to tyranny in the Ukrainian mentality, so the desire for freedom from despots always resonates and finds broad support in society, regardless of personal interests. In this context, resilience is one of the core characteristics of civil society. It manifests where people won’t wait for orders ‘from above’ to immediately react to external threats or emergencies.

The proof of this is the life of Ukrainian cities and towns. Sometimes it resembles the pre-war period, but only in fragments. Just glance away or drive aside, and nearby there will be a destroyed building, burned-out cars, or else. Yet despite the proximity to the front, Ukrainians still strive to restore peaceful life wherever possible, even when everything around them is a constant reminder of war.

By the third year of full-scale war, most civilians are already familiar with the protocol for danger. And it’s good that the siren now reminds not only about shelter but also about the need to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The shared danger has brought Ukrainians closer together. Whether on the front lines or at home, the interaction of people facing life’s challenges together allows each person to reflect and find the resources within themselves to restore their strength after emotional burnout.

Undoubtedly, everyone has their own personal experience of resilience in the face of war. At the same time, the exchange of these experiences creates a synergy that helps us grow stronger together.

Author of the curatorial concept: A. Sydorenko

The exhibition at three institutions – M17 Contemporary Art Center, Modern Art Research Institute, and National Academy of Arts of Ukraine – is the result of an Open Call that lasted for two months, with more than 450 artists participating. The first exhibition opened at the Modern Art Research Institute on October 25. The second opening of the exhibition project took place at M17 Contemporary Art Center on October 31.

M17 Work Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11:00–20:00 (Monday – closed)

Address: 102-104 V. Antonovycha St., Kyiv city, Ukraine

Admission fees:

Full price ticket = 100 UAH

Concessions = 70 UAH

Tickets can be purchased at the M17 CAC.

Organised by M17 Contemporary Art Center, the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, Modern Art Research Institute.

Partner: Adamovskiy Foundation

Curators: Andriy Sydorenko, Iryna Yatsyk

Director of the M17 CAC – Natalia Shpytkovska

Watch the video of the project opening.

M17 Contemporary Art Center is a cultural institution that functions as an educational and research platform, an exhibition venue for Ukrainian and foreign contemporary art. The activities of the Center are aimed at creating a dialogue space for professional circles and all the representatives of the culture sector as a whole, at study and research of contemporary and related historical cultural processes. M17 supports art experiments, collaborations and international exchanges of experts, artists from various art fields, in order to integrate Ukrainian art into the world context.

The National Academy of Arts of Ukraine (NAA of Ukraine) is a self-administered scientific institution that promotes the preservation and continuation of traditions in the field of art, art history and cultural studies, as well as support for art education and the scientific community of Ukraine. The Academy leads educational and research institutions.

Modern Art Research Institute of the NAA of Ukraine (MARI of the NAA of Ukraine) is the only research institution in Ukraine that carries out fundamental scientific research in various fields of contemporary art, as well as practical and research studies, aimed at the formation of professional contemporary art and architecture, implementation of new art technologies and practices, the further formation of national culture, preparation and publication of monographs, collections of scientific papers on the main scientific directions of the Institute. 

Adamovskiy Foundation is a non-profit foundation founded in 2018 by businessman Andriy Adamovskiy. The Foundation’s activities are aimed at preserving and studying the cultural heritage of Ukraine and Eastern Europe. The Foundation’s mission is to promote culture and art as a guarantee of sustainable and enlightened development of society. The Foundation is actively involved in organising and supporting exhibition projects, publishing initiatives, educational and discussion platforms, international forums and expert sessions.