SORE LAND

„Sore Land“ is about life with and during war, an expression of the unspeakable and the will

and synchronous impossibility of thinking other realities. It is an encounter with art and people,

with resilience and the unavoidable need to continue. Ukrainian artists, curators and cultural practices are gathering to create an event on topics related to war: All bonded by the idea to keep up the conversation through culture and art. The group around „Sore Land“ consists of diverse people: The artist Elzara Oiseau, a newly formed collective Ï  of art students and the resistance collective 2402 forum.

Elzara Oiseau – Ukrainian artist with crimean tatar origins. Was born in Caucasus region, grew up in Crimea, studied monumental art in Simferopol, in 2014 moved to Kyiv because of annexation by russia.

In her work, Elzara usually focuses on abstract calligraphy and interaction with music. The artist blends texts with images and abstract forms, following the rhythms and melodies of certain songs. Elazara’s exploration of the shapes, colours, lines, reflet the perception from the structure of progressive metal, jazz music.

But since december 2021 her subject was forcibly changed on the wave of risk of the russian invasion and the presentiment of her life, as she knew it, being under the danger of destruction. Elzara started her Anxiety series using the immense canvases with the texts, as a scream to the world. With the following events, Anxiety series has been unfortunately transformed into War and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder project, in which Elzara reflects on her experience with mental consequences of the war, escaping the country and interaction with those who stayed for various reasons.

since april 2022 lives and works in Zurich.

The newly formed group of Ukrainian artists Collective Ï  opened their first exhibition in „Rote Fabrik“, held on the 24th of February 2023 – one year after the full scale invasion’s outbreak. The group consists mostly of art students that are forcibly moved to Switzerland and are continuing their

studies at the Zurich Art School. By presenting their artworks in galleries and off-spaces, they

aim to find a language about the complete change of life: living in a completely different

country with all its sorrows and delights, persistent hope with an admixture of doubt and fear, faith, and love for the nativeness that they never loose. Their artistic direction includes oil and acrylic paintings mixed with the linocut techniques, sculptures, ceramic objects, collages, graphic posters, short movies and more.

2402 forum is a collective that was formed in Zurich and, together with the people of the city,

exercises cultural resistance against the russian military aggression. 2402 forum shows films

and launches events – all in the context of a critical engagement with art and cultural

production from Ukraine.

On February 24 in 2023, the collective launches the nomadic film and discussion series “on

films, discussions and Ukraine,” which takes place at various locations in Zurich and opens a conversation about the link between culture and the realities of life during war. All people,

regardless of social and cultural background, are invited to join the screenings and engage in

resulting conversations. Thus 2402 forum is an alternative platform to explicit political debates

– we understand art, culture and critique as political itself. 2402 forum persists against the

destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage and understands remembrance as cultural resistance.

Screening & Discussion by 2402 forum: „Pushing Boundaries“ (2021) by and with

Lesia Kordonets

In 2014, the Winter Paralympic Games are taking place in parallel with the russian annexation of Crimea. During the games that unite nations, a new border is drawn. Territories and people

are separated. For some you become a traitor, for others – a hero. Some become “defenders”,

the others – invalids. Following five Ukrainian athletes forced to adapt their personal and

professional lives to the ongoing armed conflict, Pushing Boundaries is a relevant reflection on

the human capacity to push back borders. Language: English, Ukrainian.