“I don’t believe in art for art’s sake. The ones who talk the most about independence are those who sell well.It took me 20 years after completing my professional education to forget everything and start painting with my own hand. Until then, it was guided by the teacher.10 percent of my time is spent on things I do to survive, 80 percent on laziness, and 10 percent on creativity.Every artist is a mini-god. I control the microcosm that I create. In it exists its own religion, faith, its own satanism, and its own love.I use materials that are not durable but those that have energy. Birds painted on leaves that accompanied me in various situations. They can rot like leaves under a tree; at least there will be some benefit from that.I can’t explain what I do. Art has an impulse that can influence the viewer. Everyone must find their own code to the work. I’m not a proponent of the idea that a work must mean something. Sometimes people tell such deep and beautiful stories about my works that I’m amazed at how they saw it there. It never even occurred to me.” V.K.
CV
From 1974 to 1978, he studied at the Lviv College of Applied and Decorative Arts named after Ivan Trush.
From 1978 to 1980, he studied at the Lviv Polytechnic Institute, majoring in architecture.
In 1986, he won first prize in painting at the “Autumn Meetings” (Lviv Art Gallery).
In 1988, he was an artist at the variety theater “Ne Zhurys!”.
From 1989 to 1993, he was a member of the artistic association “Shliakh” and participated in its group exhibitions in Lviv, Kharkiv, Lublin, and Krakow.
In 1992, he was the chief artist of the “Vyvykh” festival.
In 1993, he was the chief artist of the “Ukrainian Youth for Christ” festival.
In 1993, he co-founded the artistic association “Dzyga” and was its art director.
In 1993, he presented the happening “Letters to Earthlings, or The Eighth Seal” at the Lviv Art Gallery (now Lviv National Art Gallery), as well as the exhibition and installation “Incomprehensible Destruction” (Lviv Art Gallery).
In 1994, he presented the happening (transformation) “Mirror Carp” in Zniesienie Park, as well as the happening “Birthday” in the Powder Tower.
In 1995, he performed “Food” in the art studio of E. Mysko in Lviv and the performance “Comedy of Ecstasy” at the Dzyga cultural and art center.
In 1996, he created the conscious kitsch “Club-café ‘Babylon XX’” at the “Ukraine” cinema (Lviv), as well as the performance and installation “Retrospection.”
In 1997, he created the installation “Versions of Filling” at “Dzyga.”
In 1998, he created the artmix “Return of Icarus” at “Dzyga” and the performance-installation “Diary” with Natalka Shimin at “Dzyga.”
In 1999, he created “Time-Constant. Video I” at “Dzyga.”
In 2000, he created “Second Hand. Video II” and “Catching Time. Video III” at “Dzyga.”
In 2001, he performed an art provocation on the streets of Lviv, the video “This is Not Freedom Yet…”, and the exhibitions-installations “Mirror Cross,” and “And You, Bruno…” at “Dzyga.”
In 2002, he created the performance-installation-object “Mechanical Anatomy of Sound” (Powder Tower, Kyiv route, 10 km, Hamaliivske bogs), the printing project “Game in Game” (“Dzyga”, Az-Art publishing), and the installed painting “Technology of Sensitivity” (“Dzyga”, “Sensus” (Kyiv)).
In 2003, he created the performance-play “Nameless Spring” at the Young Viewer Theater, now the First Ukrainian Theater for Children and Youth (Lviv), and the installation performance “In the Focus of Sleep” at the K-11 club-gallery (Kyiv), and the performance “In Memory of Duchamp” at the Lyalka club-café (Lviv).
In 2004, he created the installed graphics, objects, and photos “Quotes for Nests” at the K-11 club-gallery (Kyiv), in 2005 at the Alchemia club-gallery (Krakow), and in 2006 at “Dzyga.” Performance and video art “Fall of Flight”: part I – in Stryiskyi Park, part II – in the L-art gallery (Kyiv) and in 2005 in Krakow.
From 2005 to 2006, he created the installed painting “Recycling Nostalgia” at “Dzyga” (Under the Clepsydra café).
In 2007, he created the painting and installations “Karpatyrozdił” at “Dzyga.” He co-founded the Institute of Actual Art.
In 2008, he created the performance “Household Excursion” and “Sacred Poltva” within the “Art-Depo” project (Lviv), the performance “Declaration of Emptiness” at the “GogolFest” festival (Kyiv), the performance and video art in the clock mechanism of the Drohobych Town Hall as part of the III International Bruno Schulz Festival “Performance in the Clock” (Drohobych), and the installation, performance “B.N.” as part of the Actual Art Week (Lviv).
He actively collaborated with the Les Kurbas Lviv Academic Theater, the Maria Zankovetska National Ukrainian Drama Theater, the First Ukrainian Theater for Children and Youth, and the Ivan Franko National Academic Theater (Kyiv).
From 2008 to 2009, he was the curator of the “Actual Art Week” project (Lviv), and in 2009, the curator of the parallel program of the First International Art Festival “Fort. Missia” (Popovychi village, Mostyska district, Lviv region).
In 2009, he presented the performance “Chessboard” as part of the “L2” project (Lublin), as well as during the Actual Art Week in Lviv. He created the installed graphics “Bird Therapy” at “Dzyga.”
