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The exhibition Stolen Past, Threatened Future, curated by Matilda Cherednichenko, is a statement of solidarity with Ukrainian artists and cultural workers.

Marking three years since the beginning of the full-scale invasion and eleven years since the annexation of Crimea by Russia and the violation of Ukraine’s borders, the situation remains extremely tense.

The project was initiated through two rounds of Open Calls organized by Office Ukraine Vienna and solidarity matters / Veronika Dirnhofer (professor at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna / Drawing class). The first round led to a collaboration with Salzburg based curator Matilda Cherednichenko. In the second round Ukrainian artists were invited to submit works related to the topic of the exhibition.

From over 200 applications, 23 Ukrainian artists were selected to present their works at Exhibit Eschenbachgasse. This show brings together artists who remain in Ukraine, and those who have been forced to seek refuge in Austria.

Stolen Past, Threatened Future explores personal and collective dimensions of war, the struggle and forced emigration, capturing both realities of living under constant threat and relocation to a new country. The title refers to a feeling which is known to every Ukrainian, the feeling that your own life has been taken away from you. Out of sudden, in the middle of the night, somebody had already stolen it.

The exhibition revolves around displacement, instability, memory, and temporality. How the “temporary” state of exile becomes reality. Art has become not only a form of resistance, it became both a refuge and tool of survival.

Through diverse artistic media, including painting, sculpture, photography and video works the show emphasizes a shared resilience and identity, transcending physical borders. Instead of focusing on differences, the exhibition highlights unity, presenting Ukrainian artists as one voice, no matter where they are.

This exhibition is a call for empathy and a collective effort, reminding viewers of the critical need to act now, otherwise our common future is threatened.

Image: from HOTEL EUROPA series, Screen print, bed sheet from Kurhotel Dr. Stühlinger, Semmering (2023) © Mark Chehodaiev