Zhanna Kadyrova: PALIANYTSIA 29.10.-3.11.2024
Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadyrova’s work PALIANYTSIA will be on display at the Museum of Technology from 29 October to 3 November 2024 (Viikinkatu 1 D).
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Kadyrova suspended ongoing art projects, cancelled residencies and rethought her artistic career. She fled to the Carpathian Mountains but realised that flight was not her solution and returned to her hometown of Kiev a few months later. The Carpathians, however, were the birthplace of Kadyrova’s most famous series of works, PALIANYTSIA.
The work features found river stones that resemble a loaf of bread called palianytsia. Palianytsia is a word that has become very important since the beginning of the war and took on a new dimension as the Russian occupiers could not pronounce it correctly, it quickly became a shibboleth, a word that distinguishes friend from enemy. By slicing or just smoothing stones found in the river, Zhanna Kadyrova not only gives them the shape of traditional bread but also a new meaning, as these stones also become a symbol of cultural and territorial resistance. A video documentary about the making of the work will be shown at the exhibition.
PALIANYTSIA is a humanitarian work. The stone “loaves” are for sale, with the entire proceeds going to beneficiaries in Ukraine chosen by the artist. You can buy the whole installation for example for a museum collection but it is also possible to buy one “loaf of bread”. If you are interested in buying the installation or one “loaf”, contact IHME Helsinki’s audience worker at the site. IHME Helsinki exhibited the work in September also at the Finnish Meteorological Institute during the Climate Security Festival.
We thank you the Museum of Technology for a good collaboration.