Saskatoon artist to represent Ukraine at Sao Paulo biennale

KYIV - The Ukrainian presence at the XXV Biennale de São Paulo to be held March 23-June 2, will be represented by Saskatoon-based artist Taras Polataiko who will present his project - "Bird's Eye View," with Jerzy Onuch, curator of the presentation.

The Bird's Eye View" project is based on the biennal's curatorial concept of the "11 Metropolises." The show will open as an empty space with 11 mirrors mounted on the walls of the presentation space. At the commencement of the Biennale, 11 local workers will be contracted to gradually cover the mirrors by piecing together the jigsaw pieces, made of 11 infrared satellite photos of the 11 metropolises. Work will proceed on a daily basis until the puzzles are completed, so that by the close of the Biennale there will be eleven abstractions in the space. Divorced from their content, these abstract images will be reminiscent of pop artist Gerhard Richter's paintings.

As noted in a statement regarding the presentation, it is through the images, materials and process that the artist intends to draw attention to the marginalised population created by world-wide urban progress, concurrently exploring the problem of relationship between the content of the image and its formal properties. The project will bring up the question of the nature of the image in contemporary culture as well as that of the artist's relationship with the context, narrative, and the agendas of the art world.

Mr. Polataiko is a Ukrainian Canadian artist, born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, who, since emigrating to Canada in 1989, has been living in Saskatoon. Mr. Polataiko has had solo exhibitions at leading galleries and museums of contemporary art in Canada and New York and his work has been widely reviewed by leading North American and international publications. Among his projects are "Glare" (1994), "Mole" (1997), "Cradle" (1999), "Him" (1999-2002). Most recently, his work was exhibited as part of the "Brand 'Ukrainian'" exhibit held at the CCA in Kyiv, December 16, 2001 - February 10. A solo exhibit titled "Taras Polataiko" was held at the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Winnipeg Art Gallery in the fall of 2001.

Mr. Onuch since 1997 has been the director of the Center for Contemporary Art in Kyiv. Born in Lublin, Poland, he lives in Kyiv and Toronto. Among his latest curatorial projects are "ID" (1999), "Painting" (2000), and "Brand 'Ukrainian.' "

Ukraine's presentation at the biennale and the Polataiko project is supported by the Center for Contemporary Art, Kyiv, Saskatchewan Arts Board and The Canada Council.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 31, 2002, No. 13, Vol. LXX

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