«…To all those who urge us to "stop hating not to become the same with russians”.
To all those who want peace, but don’t understand that peace can be only won in a battle. That rage is fuel. Rage gives energy for the fight and fight – is not only survival, it is life itself. Strong feelings, strong words and strong actions, even if they may destroy you, are better than avoidant silence.
I was born and raised in a world where rage and anger were generally oppressed, where letting your rage out was considered inappropriate or even rude - especially when you are a young woman. “Transmit positive emotions, avoid negativity, or in the worst case just simply stay calm and neutral” – that’s what I learned from living in the early XXI century. But this idea failed as soon as it couldn’t prevent russian invasion and all those inhumane atrocities they’ve done. This world in which we used to live, the world without anger, without rage, without hate – is no more. No use and no sense to avoid them, to be afraid of them, to hide. Time to embrace these strong emotions and fill our tanks to the top with their vital fire - to continue working, creating, living…»
«…But for sure it is not just about a pure rage, not just about anger towards russians who came to eliminate us.
It is about love. Love for your family, friends, pets, for towns or villages, for some specific streets in them, parks or trees, or just for how nice and warm the sun shines there in early autumn. But also it is a bigger love, something that is hard even to define or verbalize. Loving Ukraine is not only about land, people or childhood memories. It is love for the idea of Ukraine, for everything Ukraine represents and stands for.
While rage helps you fight – love helps you live and enjoy life. To go through all the battles and not to lose your mind, not to dive too deep in the rage, not to get poisoned with it, not to become soulless and unable to see the beauty around. Rage is the sword, love is the armor. But love can also be the sword – against those who don’t have love, or simply are afraid of loving. In this case, rage becomes the armor.
And I guess that you can only win all your wars if you have both of them. Sword and Armor. Love and Rage…»
Olia Fedorova
As the full-scale invasion began, a lot of people were rendered speechless. The destruction of language happened to be. The brain refused to accept the new reality and could not choose corresponding words. Regaining speech and finding appropriate words is a sign of awareness of what has happened, acceptance of a new reality that has changed forever, and restoration of one's subjectivity.
Olia Fedorova's project "Love | Rage" brings together her writing and visual poetry practices from the beginning of the full-scale invasion to the present day. Each series of works represents the knowledge of experiencing intense emotions caused by the war in different circumstances - being in a bomb shelter during the shelling of Kharkiv in the first months, going abroad and returning home - and using various means - curses, prayers, affirmations.
Belief in the magical power of words, which can influence the situation, has long existed in Ukrainian culture. Unsurprisingly, various orders, oaths, prayers, and curses are constantly gaining popularity in hard times. On the one hand, they serve as verbal magic and perform a therapeutic function. Speaking and verbalization are physical processes that everyone can do to help themselves cope with emotions and join in this way in the common struggle. On the other hand, spreading true information and talking about what is happening now is an essential component and a powerful weapon against the enemy in the information war.
Oleksandra Shovkun
Curator: Oleksandra Shovkun
Desing: Alla Sorochan
WHEN: October 13, 2023, at 6:30 p.m WHERE: Artsvit gallery, Dnipro, Krutohirnyi Uzviz (Descent), 21A. Entrance through doors from Krutohirnyi Uzviz (Descent)
FREE ENTRANCE
Olia Fedorova. Born 1994 in Kharkiv. Multidisciplinary conceptual artist who works with performance, photography, video and visual poetry.
In her practice Olia works with meanings and connotations by studying the mechanics and problematics of their (trans)formation using methods of performative intervention, observation and writing. After the beginning of russian full-scale invasion to Ukraine she also started to work as an art activist and publicist to promote Ukrainian culture abroad and raise awareness among foreign audiences about russian crimes and the resistance of Ukrainian people. Since summer 2022 she has been living and continuing her practice in Graz, Austria.
Laureate of “Non Stop Media VIII” contemporary art festival (Kharkiv, 2016); winner of the contemporary visual art contest of Nathan Altman (Vinnytsia, 2017); finalist of the contest for young Ukrainian artists MUKHI 2017 (Kyiv); Finalist of the Ukrainian Biennale of Young Art (Kharkiv, 2019).
Had solo shows in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Torino (Italy) and Graz (Austria). Participates in residencies and group projects in Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Austria, United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, Argentina, Japan, South Korea, USA and more.
