Dialogues emerged from the collaboration between Ukrainian artist and curator Olena Kasperovych and the Bluecoat Center for Contemporary Art. Olena Kasperovych and Bluecoat’s Senior Curator Adam Lewis-Smythe selected two artists to showcase their humorous take on life, as they observe the world around them. Their work was displayed at the Bluecoat gallery, and outside on posters on Blundell Lane.
EuroFestival: Dialogues
Dialogues emerged from the collaboration between Ukrainian artist and curator Olena Kasperovych and the Bluecoat Center for Contemporary Art. Olena Kasperovych and Bluecoat’s Senior Curator Adam Lewis-Smythe selected two artists to showcase their humorous take on life, as they observe the world around them. Their work was displayed at the Bluecoat gallery, and outside on posters on Blundell Lane.
Alevtina and Ellie
Alevtina Kakhidze is a Ukrainian artist based in Muzychi (Kyiv Oblast), she worked alongside Liverpool-based artist Ellie Hoskins.
Alevtina is next to her artwork
Kakhidze’s work draws out personal observations and, whilst the subject matter is often of critical importance, she uses humour as a way to understand and analyse the world around her. As a starting point Kakhidze developed audio work and drawings that she made in 2016 in Liverpool during the British Council residency program SWAP UK/Ukraine. These works poke fun at the eccentricities of scouse culture and often feature icons of Liverpool such as the Liverbirds and Taro Chiezo’s ubiquitous Superlambanana sculptures.
Ellie in the process of creation
Ellie Hoskins uses text to express musings on the daily lives of herself and her peer group, and often amplifies absurdities of the mundane to comic effect. Both artists are incisive in the ways that they wryly critique the world around them. They share an understanding of how important it is to be critical, to observe and understand the world around us and to do this with a sense of mischief, fun and openness.
Performance. As part of Dialogues, Alevtina Kakhidze presented a special performance combining elements of stand-up comedy.
The project was supported by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute within the EuroFestival programme.
Photo: Bluecoat