UFDA's Articles: Insights into Ukraine's Art and Culture 64

2025 marked a pivotal year for UFDA — the official launch of our project. It was a year of beginnings, challenges, important decisions, and, most importantly, a year of working together to preserve and promote Ukrainian contemporary art.

In the new episode of the UFDA podcast, historian and curator Leonid Maruschak talks about how the full-scale war has changed museum work and attitudes toward cultural heritage in Ukraine. The conversation touches on the evacuation of collections, bureaucratic dead ends, private archives, the story of Zhanna Kadyrova’s deer from Pokrovsk, as well as the role of initiatives like UFDA in preserving art.

UFDA’s open catalogue of Ukrainian digitized art is growing! Recently, our team digitized new works by Olena Kurzel, which are available for exploring in full resolution.

Інсталяція Лери Полянськової «Які води таки глибокі?», представлена у галереї Photinus (Ужгород) відкриває глибокий досвід переходу та занурення. У цьому матеріалі представлено повний кураторський текст Анни Філіппової, що розкриває концептуальні виміри роботи.

Sana Shahmuradova is a Ukrainian artist searching for the little-explored roots of her origins through collective and personal archetypes. Read key takeaways from our podcast with Sana in our article!

For Oleksandr Kryzhanovskyi, painting emerges from inquiry, observation, and reflection on the world. His art is a way to make sense of life, his own role within it, and his interaction with the surrounding environment, combining a deep mastery of traditional techniques with contemporary themes.

In this interview, the artist discusses his academic experience from the perspective of both a student and a teacher, the importance of daily practice in any form, and building a personal brand through cultivating a broad network of connections.

Sergey Melnitchenko is a Ukrainian photographer, founder of the MYPH School of Conceptual Photography, and an active volunteer who has continued to create art even after February 24, 2022.  Read key takeaways from our podcast with Sergey in our article!

UFDA held a podcast with Petro Bevza, who explores themes of space, continuity, and Ukrainian artistic identity. Read key takeaways in our article!