The Solemnity of the Repulsive

In the exhibition *The Solemnity of the Repulsive*, artists Dariia Maiier and Sofiia Yesakova explore how primitive and repulsive violence in war, religion, sports, and status is symbolically elevated through dignified, heroic, and solemn imagery—a violence whose direct sight would otherwise be almost unbearable.

The pain, torture, or even death of an animal, a soldier, or a martyr thus becomes a source of power.

They create ideological points of reference and integrate into the cultural sphere and its heritage that which would otherwise be too disturbing to speak of.

The exhibition brings together two distinct artistic practices. Different aesthetic languages converge with shared experiences and sensibilities.

Both artists currently live in Germany and studied in Mykola Storozhenko’s studio at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Kyiv.

Their training there was shaped by monumental art, religious postmodernism, and an aesthetic rooted in the Northern Renaissance and Ukrainian Baroque.

Although Maiier and Yesakova have since moved away from academic art, this background remains evident in their precise working methods, their attention to detail, and their elaborate production processes.

The sublime character of this artistic heritage is also reflected in the exhibition’s central theme:

the solemn exaltation of the repulsive.

Opening Reception:

• August 13, 7:00–9:30 p.m.

Hours:

• Thu–Fri 4:00–7:00 p.m.,
• Sat 2:00–5:00 p.m.
• and by appointment

Closing Reception:

• August 27, 6:00–9:00 p.m.