Ukrainian Pavilion at Malta Biennale 2024

Vision of the project

The aim of the project was to create and present the Ukrainian National Pavilion at the first Malta Biennale of Contemporary Art (2024). The Biennale authorities viewed Ukraine's participation as a political task and guaranteed the provision of space for the Ukrainian pavilion, ensuring the Ukrainian message was visible and represented on an equal footing with other European countries. The Maltese government and UNESCO were involved in launching the new cultural festival, with pavilions presented at cultural heritage sites. The Ukrainian pavilion project was designed as an event of cultural diplomacy, particularly significant during the ongoing Russian full-scale invasion.

The proposed project focused on key topics chosen by the Biennale: addressing the colonial past and exploring the cultural phenomenon of the Mediterranean from a broad perspective. The Ukrainian pavilion symbolically united Malta and the Ukrainian city of Odesa, traditionally seen as a gateway between Mediterranean civilization and Ukrainian steppes.

The Pavilion presented a project by Alevtina Kakhidze, an established artist with international experience. In her practice, Kakhidze explored themes of decolonization, using the metaphor of relationships between native (autochthonous) and invasive plants. As a long-time gardener, she drew on her knowledge as a foundation for artistic reflection. For the exhibition space, she developed a project rooted in the Black Sea region, creating a new video work alongside a herbarium and drawings.

An important part of the project was Kakhidze's performance for international audiences on one of the Biennale's main stages. The project highlighted the shared colonial histories of Malta and Ukraine and the impossibility of returning to pre-imperial conditions, fostering a dialogue on decolonization and cultural identity.

Meet the Key Partner

The Cultural Practices NGO is a non-profit organisation founded by Kateryna Semenyuk and Oksana Dovgopolova in 2017 that has been focused on collective memory and visual art. The main project implemented by the NGO is the memory culture platform Past / Future / Art.

As part of this project, the NGO implements commemorative, research, and artistic projects, as well as a discussion programme to engage a wide audience into the working through the past. Since 24 February 2022, we are focusing on working with the trauma of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Start Date: March 11, 2024
End Date: May 31, 2024