KYIV POST , November 15th, 2001
Starving artist is slowly gaining weight
Being an artist is one of the toughest jobs in new Ukraine.
A century ago, artists enjoyed patronage from the aristocracy and the appreciation
of a society that wasn't distracted by MTV. That continued during the Soviet era.
Those who played by the rules enjoyed a life of relative luxury under the protection
of the Kremlin as well as the admiration of a compliant yet cultured public.
Things are different now. Gone is the support of the government and many art aficionados
simply can't afford to support artists. And those who do have money - the new
rich - tend to prefer the tacky to the tasteful.
Enter the starving artist.
Serhy Kolyada is a young man living in Kyiv and bent on breaking into the Ukrainian
art market. Born in Odessa in 1972, Kolyada spent his childhood on the Sea of
Azov where he attended both the Children's Art School and the State Art Studio
in Berdyansk.
As an artist-in-training he staged two exhibitions while still at school. He later
earned a teaching degree in Berdyansk.
Armed with degrees in art and education, Kolyada left southen Ukraine in 1997
and headed for Kyiv at the age of 25.
"Like many people I wanted to experience life in the capital and knew that
it was the best place for me to try to break into the world of art", he said
during a recent interview in the Kyiv appartment/studio he shares with his wife.
Kolyada soon discovered that making it in the capital was not easy. He tried to
sell his art at local galleries, but he found the process demoralizing.
"Some galleries said I'd have to pay $70 day for space and for one exhibition",
Kolyada said. "Others simply refused to take my work - without bothering
to explain why".
One reason might be Kolyada's bleak vision of life in modern Ukraine. No cheery
landscapes of Old Kyiv here. Instead, a self-described member of the new generation
of "new reality" artists, Kolyada potrays what he sees as happening
in the country by combining images from mass culture with those of classical art.
That vision can be grim. One work potrays the state of religion by depicting a
fast-food cup next to a cathedral which is turned upside down and relegated to
the background.
Kolyada incorporates brand names, such as Coca-Cola or West cigarette labels.
"I try to show the truth - to depict social and political problems - and
that is not acceptable either for commercial galleries or for state institutions"
he said. "some people call my art underground - but it's real life."
Kolyada captures that view of life mainly through ink drawings. By turning to
black ink and shading, the result is a drawing that resembles grainy black-and-white
photographs.
Like many aspiring artists, Kolyada has managed to support himself by other means.
Using his fluency in English and his education degree he works as a Russian-language
teacher. Ironically, that has boosted his career as an artist. Teaching put him
in touch with members of the foreign community who've become fans of his work.
Marielle Kampes, a staffer at the Dutch Embassy, is one of his biggest supporters.
"After meeting Serhy and seeing his pictures, I had a great desire to help
him", Kampes said. "I visited a lot of galleries on Andriyivsky uzviz
on his behalf, but it was just a waste of time. Fortunately, however, when I introduced
him to my foreign friends, some of them were really interested."
Kolyada is getting increased exposure. Last spring he held exhibitions at the
South African ambassador's residence and at Kyiv International School.
He also earned another fan in Maida MacLaren, president of the Kyiv chapter of
the International Women's Club. She invited him to come along and present his
works to club members.
"We decided to invite Serhy because his talant is impressive", she said.
"I would say he is a unique person who bravely shows today's reality through
his art."
Kolyada said he'll plug away, teaching to support his art and networking to promote
it. He'll continue to present his work at Women's Club meetings.
"I don't know what will happen in my life, even in the nearest future",
he said. "It all depends who becomes interested in me as an artist."
Iryna Petriv
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