Exhibition in the gay museum: Queere Ukrainian art and its struggle for visibility

It is a little surprising that queer art from Ukraine has only now come into the focus of the gay museum. Because the idea for such an exhibition seemed to be in the air three years ago when the wave of solidarity with the attacked country was particularly high.

But better late than ever: In one of the halls of the museum, queer artists are shown who work multimedia-with installations, video documentation, drawings and photographs. However, the exhibition can hardly be described as comprehensive – there are fewer than two dozen exhibits.

There are many information stands for this, which is quite enough for an insight into the history of the Ukrainian queer community-from their persecution during the Soviet period to the current efforts to remain visible during the war.

The latter is indeed a big challenge for queer activists and artists. Because one of the basic attitudes of Ukrainian society is currently: “War is not the right time to put individual needs in the foreground!”

© Anatoly Belov

However, the war left significant traces in the representation of queerness. “Now dealing with trauma and historical memory. As in Ukrainian art,” says curator in Maria Vtorushyna during a tour of the exhibition “A Heart That Beats”, the second curator of which Anton Shebetko is.

A clear example of this is the artbook by photographer Vic Bakin. In the midst of dark war landscapes, beautiful male bodies appear. There is nothing left of Bakin’s characteristic glamorous style in these pictures.

Compared to Western European colleagues, the creating of Ukrainian queer artists had significantly less visual boldness before the war. Because only a few dared to comment strikingly and loudly. Also because the artists had completely different needs – to profile themselves, manifest their identity, simply step out of the shade.

For example, the photo project of Yevgenia Biloruseets from 2011 shows gays, lesbian and trans sex couples from various Ukrainian cities. She simply documented her everyday life against the background of gloomy post -soviet interiors.

“In Berlin, this photo series bumps into a lack of understanding for some visitors until they read the accompanying text. Then learn that Ukrainian queers were often persecuted in 2011 – especially in small cities,” explains Maria Vtorushyna. This means that they could hardly show their identity outside of their dreary apartments.

© Yasmin Künze

The exhibition is divided into three chapters, which reflect various periods in the history of the Ukrainian queer community. The Ukrainian director Sergei Parajanov is undoubtedly described as the queer icon of the Soviet era.

After the filmmaker of Armenian origin had fallen out of favor at the regime, he was imprisoned in 1974 due to a fictitious indictment for “sodomy using violence”. Parajanov himself never hid his homosexuality, but did not recognize the indictment in court. The director was world famous with films “The Color of the Pomegranate” (1969) or “Kerib, the Spielmann” (1988), but only a few are familiar with his artistic work in Ukraine.

In prison he began to create collages – literally from everything that fell into his hands. In the gay museum, one of his paper work from a private collection can be seen, which created in the 1980s under the title “Orpheus”.

More freedom after the Maidan protests

The third part of the exhibition begins in 2014. However, this is not just a reference to the beginning of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. According to Maria Vtorushyna, the beginning of a new phase for the Ukrainian queer community was, paradoxically, this year.

Especially after the Kyjiwer Maidan, queer artists finally got the chance to really become visible. New social movements were created, including an initiative for recognition of same -sex partnerships. In addition, LGBTIQ artists have now received more funding.

“You have the feeling that a large part of society has already recognized that the right queer people are among the basic European values,” says Vtorushyna. Even if the Kyjiwer Pride still evokes outrage in Ukrainian right -wing radicals. Ukrainian queer art has asserted itself-despite discrimination and isolation. And now it is becoming more and more visible.

The curators wanted to highlight their liveliness in particular. Even if the war has scattered the artists on all over the world and the rushing parties in the Crimean town of Simejis-a queer mecca in the post-Soviet area-are only a memory left.

One of the works is devoted to the topic of loss: the documentary “Simeis” by Anton Shebetko, in which photos of Simejis and an interview with the art director of the legendary gay café “Jizhaky” are connected. An inconspicuous snack bar has now opened at its former location.