The Fifth Kyiv Biennale: Is It Worth Going If You Are in Kyiv
The Fifth Kyiv Biennale is not just one exhibition in one hall, but a traveling art project distributed across several cities in Ukraine and Europe. Kyiv remains an important stop on the route, although the main exhibition was held in Vienna.
What Awaits You
The biennale covers Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Uzhhorod, Berlin, Warsaw, Lublin, Antwerp, and Vienna. This format is designed as a network of exhibitions, public events, and partnerships between Ukrainian and European cultural institutions.
The Kyiv part started in the fall of 2023 at the Dovzhenko Center. The exhibition ran from October 5 to December 29, 2023, so the Kyiv stage has already concluded. If you are looking for an event to attend now in the capital, it is worth noting: the fifth edition does not operate as a permanent Kyiv exhibition.
Why It’s Interesting
The name "Kyiv" this time does not refer to a specific address, but to a joint cultural project unfolding in different cities. Participants and exhibitions move from one location to another, so each stage has its own context and does not necessarily repeat the previous one.
The main exhibition in Vienna was planned with 60 artistic contributions across seven locations, with Augarten Contemporary being the central one. In Warsaw, the biennale was presented at the Museum of Modern Art, and in Antwerp at M HKA. Thus, it is more of a route for attentive viewers rather than a quick visit to a single exhibition.
So, Is It Worth Going?
If you were specifically planning to attend the Kyiv stage, the answer is simple: the event has already taken place, so it is not worth traveling to Kyiv for the fifth edition now. However, if you find yourself in Vienna or another city on the route, the biennale could be a good choice for those interested in contemporary art, discussions about cities, and how culture operates beyond a single exhibition hall.
And the Kyiv part should be remembered as an event that brought the international art route back to the capital while also showcasing it in a broader European context. Would you attend such a traveling biennale if its next event appeared in your city?
