The art of equilibrium

The artist’s projects, called “Equilibrium,” is exhibited at the art room Sky Art Foundation, opened in downtown Kyiv a couple of months ago. The project includes 20 almost surrealistic paintings, each a kind of collage of various real-life situations. The exhibit was organized by Sky Art Foundation charity.

LOVE NOT WAR

For Koval, equilibrium has the face of a confused little boy balancing on a chair among furious dogs and a multitude of balloons, with a huge swan spreading his wings next to him. One cannot but think that the painting, aptly called Equilibrium, is about staying true to yourself and holding your ground in front of the mad hounds of reality.

This is how Koval describes his new series: “This is a project about the choices we face every day, all our life long. This choice shapes us as personalities. In my pictures I show layers of glimpses of everyday life, which in one way or another affect the things that cause us to make our choices. I have put myself in my characters’ shoes, too. I think these stories are not only about me, they are about everyone. Why make war, for example? It is better to conquer women’s hearts.” These last words are about his work War in a Different Format: instead of guns, soldiers hold red tulips and balloons, and the statue of Venus of Milo looms below the clouds.

A CLASH OF MEANINGS

This juxtaposition of things from different dimensions of existence reveals Koval’s irony. The police are attacking someone, while an old lady with a cow looks on: this work is called Communication 2. At a beach, a Doberman is barking at some men: Identification of Corruptionists. In his works the artist brings together characters who would never meet in real life. The incompatibility of the characters is emphasized by the combination of black-and-white and color fragments. Each detail is painted very realistically, which makes the absurdity of the situations even more obvious.

Most of the images in Koval’s pictures were transferred from old photos and reportage shooting sessions. In particular, he has used a lot of photographs dating back to the World War Two. Some fragments are painted from nature.

Collage stories are a new trend in Koval’s work. Says Yulia Ostrovska, chairperson of Sky Art Foundation charity: “Yurii’s first work where he uses collages is not included in the series, because it does not quite fit in, but the artist understood that he was ready to continue in that direction, and realized the project with ease.”

So, make a choice in favor of art: go and see “Equilibrium” at Sky Art Foundation. The exhibit will be open through February 17.