Orient Station – “Chernobyl 30 + Fukushima 5” – opening
17:00-18:00
6-10 July 2016, 11:00-19:00 | “Gardzienice” Gallery, 5a Grodzka Street.
Exhibition OPENING and presentation of the project: 7 July 2016, 17:00
The exhibition can be viewed until 31 July 2016 , Monday-Friday from 10:00-16:00
International poster campaign dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the 5th anniversary of the tragedy of Fukushima. The motto of the exhibition is „For the future after Chernobyl and Fukushima.”
In 2016, humanity celebrates two tragic dates: the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster (April 26, 1986) and the 5th anniversary of the accident in Fukushima (11 March 2011). Between the dates of these tragedies – a quarter century. And there they are in different, very remote parts of the world. But these events have a common origin, a chain of relations „man – scientific and technological progress – the planet Earth.”
Chernobyl and Fukushima have caused human casualties, brought destruction and suffering to hundreds of thousands of people, reminded us of the dangers of man-made disasters, the high price of scientific and technical progress . But they also served as a powerful impetus to and understanding of global environmental problems, a convincing argument in favour of abandoning the use of nuclear energy and switch to renewable energy and, in the end, a more careful attitude to our common home – the Earth.
Designers from 24 countries present posters that reflect their thoughts and feelings about Chernobyl and Fukushima, contributing to the formation of our new environmental responsibility.
Organizers: Association of Graphic Designers “the 4th Block” (Kharkiv, Ukraine)
Curators: Oleg Veklenko, Iliya Pavlov, Daria Titarenko
4th Block - In 1991 a poster designer, lecturer at Kharkiv Institute of Industrial Art Oleg Veklenko who as a soldier was sent to Chernobyl after the explosion in 1986, decided to organize an international poster exhibition 4th Block, dedicated to the 5th Anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy. Because of his own difficult experiences, the question of the artist’s moral responsibility against next potential technological catastrophes and environmental pollution became the focus of Oleg’s interest both in art and life. Artists from 54 countried responded to Oleg’s call and submitted their works. The exhibition opened on 26 April 1991 in the Kharkiv Museum of Art. Since then, every 3 years Kharkiv has been hosting an International Triennial of eco-posters, eco-graphic designs and ecological youth projects. The works always touch upon the most difficult ecological problems: pollution, global warming, genetic engineering etc. Oleg Veklenko, the Honorary Artist of Ukraine, professor at the Kharkiv State Academy of Art and Design remains the chairman of the Triennial. The Triennial’s main objective is to showcase the most important achievement s of artists and designers whose work is ecology-themed. Another important goal is to create the Centre for Ecological Art in order to fuse the creativity and social activism of the designers, graphic designers and artists in spreading ecological awarenesss among society, especially young people. The fusion of contemporary art and design should help accomplish these aims.