'Heart of Earth' Comes to Denmark

Vision of the project

Mystetskyi Arsenal (MA), Ukraine's flagship cultural organisation, and Ukraine House in Denmark (UHD), one of the few Ukrainian organisations in Europe with a large exhibition space, joined forces to present one of the key Ukrainian wartime exhibitions, Heart of Earth, to Danish and international audiences.

Heart of Earth was curated by the MA team in 2022 following the Russian invasion, showcasing 16 Ukrainian artists' reflections on the nation's archetypical and fundamental relationship with its land and the food it produces. The exhibition highlighted Ukraine's role in global food security, addressing issues such as colonial exploitation, food weaponisation, and environmental damage. Given the project's increasing relevance amidst attacks on grain export infrastructure, dam destruction, and escalating ecological damage, UHD planned to host an updated version of the exhibition in Copenhagen.

The opening event featured a screening of the classic movie The Earth by Oleksandr Dovzhenko, accompanied by a performance by the accomplished Ukrainian musician Mariana Sadovska. Parallel to the exhibition, the programme included a series of panel discussions with Danish, Ukrainian, and international experts, scholars, and policymakers. These discussions focused on sustainable rebuilding efforts and postwar economic models for Ukraine, including technologies and agriculture.

The involvement of expert Danish organisations, such as the Danish Demining Group and RealDania, facilitated discussions on practical mechanisms to address the consequences of the war on Ukrainian land and promote the sustainable rebuilding of agriculture and ecosystems.

Meet the Key Partner

Ukraine House in Denmark is a cultural diplomacy institution with a mission to deepen Ukrainian-Danish cooperation in the fields of culture and creative industries. UHD was established in July 2022.

In February 2023 the Ministry of Culture of Denmark allocated the former Danish Architecture Center in the heart of Copenhagen for the implementation of UHD vision and activities. UHD team of 20+ Ukrainian, Danish and international volunteers has since hosted over 6,000 guests; held five exhibitions of Ukrainian contemporary art, photography, architecture and design; organized over fifty panel discussions with more than seventy Ukrainian and Danish experts, parliamentarians, journalists, artists, architects and other opinion leaders; integrated Ukrainian content into leading Danish cultural platforms such as the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, Copenhagen Architecture Festival and Kulturnatten; organized concerts of Ukrainian musicians and screenings of Ukrainian films at the best venues in DK.

Start Date: June 14, 2024
End Date: Dec. 15, 2024