The article reports on 'Still Joy — From Ukraine Into the World,' a collateral exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale presented by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and PinchukArtCentre. The show features works by Ukrainian artists including Malashchuk & Khimei, Simone Post, and Zhanna Kadyrova, exploring themes of joy, survival, and resilience amid war. Highlights include a two-channel video juxtaposing a Kyiv rave before and after Russia's full-scale invasion, letters from Ukrainian soldiers printed on foam panels, and installations that transform everyday objects into meditations on sweetness and endurance.
This exhibition matters because it reframes the narrative of Ukrainian art from one of victimhood to one of defiant joy and quiet strength, offering a nuanced counterpoint to the devastation of war. By situating these works within the global context of the Venice Biennale, the show asserts the vitality and relevance of contemporary Ukrainian culture on an international stage, challenging audiences to consider how joy can coexist with trauma and resistance.