Center of Modern Art “Pinchuk Art Center” 
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| AntElena and Viktor Pinchuk | Antony Gormley “Blind Light” | The Art Center |
Address: 1/3-2, block A, Bessarabka area, Krasnoarmeyskaya (Bolshaya Vasilkovskaya) Str., Kiev
Phone number: +38(044) 590-08-58, +38(044) 490-48-06
Opening time: Tuesday – Sunday, from 12 p.m. till 9 p.m.
Damian Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Jeff Koons – here is not full list of cult figures of modern art, whose exhibitions were held in the halls, situated within this old city area, where “Pinchuk Art Center” has been located since 2006.
Viktor Pinchuk, the main Maecenas of the project, is one of the most well-known personalities of Ukrainian business abroad. To a great extent, he owes this popularity to his Art Center and contacts with world stars of music, pop-art, photography. Due to exhibitions at “Pinchuk Art Center” Ukraine has become closer and more comprehensible for foreign tourists.
The Center runs work in following directions: collecting, exhibitions, projects, communications, education, publications, researches. In the Center`s conception international globalized project of united space of modern art is combined with marked national presentation. The very location of “Pinchuk Art Center” in old ensemble of Bessarabka area on the square of the same name favors atmosphere of cultural interpenetration of past and present time.
The area, which had been in decay for a long time, was reconstructed according to the project of French architect F. Kiambarrette at the beginning of the 21st century. Kiambarrette developed conception of internal reconstruction of the quarter, in a way changing the logic of local architecture: on visually small territory there stands six-level building, partially underground, partially included into the existing borders of symbolically preserved old building and stylized for antiquity modern building.
Exhibition halls of “Pinchuk Art Center” are located on four floors. The Video-Lounge Hall and a Café are on the 6th floor. Administrative part is there as well. The total area of the Center is more than 3000 square meters. Outer façade of one of the first in Kiev lodging houses, monument of architecture and history of the beginning of the 20th century, has been preserved from the side of Bolshaya Vasilkovskaya Street. The famous Jewish writer Sholom Aleikhem (1856-1912) lived there before immigrating to the USA. Museum of the writer, which used to be situated in the old building, is located on the territory of the area.
There are always queues of people on days of opening of new exhibitions here. Though it is hard to imagine queues for art events in our pragmaticс and fussy world, but residents and guests of Kiev have proved the opposite from the very opening of the Complex. Convenient schedule of exhibitions (from 12 p.m. till 9 p.m.) and, what is important, free entrance enable people to see the best examples of creative work of modern artists.
Among the most substantial projects, represented at “Pinchuk Art Center”, the following should be mentioned: “Vik Muniz: Expertise” – personal exhibition of Brazilian artist Vik Muniz; “An eye of subconsciousness” – exhibition of 24 modern photographers from Elton John`s collection; «REFLECTION” – exhibition of leading modern artists, including Damian Hirst, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Antony Gormley, Sergey Bratkov; “Paul McCartney. Painting” – exhibition of paintings of Sir Paul McCartney; “Requiem” – the biggest retrospective review of the best-paid artist of modern times, British citizen Damian Hirst.
Special space for holding exhibitions of young artist was created at the Art-Center in spring of 2007. During this time such projects as “Pastime Paradise” by Kristina Solomukha (Ukraine-France), “Artistic Map of Eastern Europe” by “IRWIN” group (Slovenia), “Art as a present” by “R.A.P.” Group (Ukraine), “Dreamers” by “SOSka” Group (Ukraine), personal exhibition of Keito Sugiura (Japan) have been shown.
In 2007 “Pinchuk Art Center” became official representative of Ukraine at the 52nd international exhibition of Modern Art (Venetian Biannual Exhibition).
According to Vice Prime-Minister and Minister of Culture of Italy Francesco Rutelli, Ukrainian pavilion in Palazzo Papadopoli became one of the three main phenomena of the Venetian Biannual Exhibition. In 2009 Ukrainian triumph was repeated at 53 Biannual Exhibition in Venice.
Modern Art is multidimensional, synthesized, combined, breaking borders between traditional styles, speaking up about the most complicated problems of a human and humanity.
“Pinchuk Art Center” has become a platform for Ukrainian and foreign artists for expressing their attitude to the world.
This is one of the most famous brands of Ukrainian capital in the world and the biggest center of modern art in the capital. Exhibitions, held at “Pinchuk Art Center” are often provocative, but it only increases its popularity from year to year.
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The building of “Pinchuk Art Center” at Bessarabka |
Damian Hirst | |
