Ukrainian gallery Voloshyn Gallery made its debut at Art Basel Paris on 22 October, partnering with Parisian La Galerie Poggi to showcase contemporary Ukrainian artist Nikita Kadan's works at the Grand Palais exhibition center, according to a report by Texty.org.ua.
The exhibition features eight canvases and two installations, with prices starting at €3,500 for charcoal drawings. The centerpiece, a 300 by 385 centimeter canvas titled "Shchekavytsia," is priced at €120,000.
Jerome Poggi, founder and director of La Galerie Poggi, explained that Kadan presents war differently from what most Europeans encounter through press imagery or evening news.
"Nikita shows war not through explosions and destruction, but through details and feelings," the report states.
His work tells stories of personal suffering, of buildings where people once lived, and of animals trapped by circumstances.
The "Shchekavytsia" painting depicts an orgy on the famous Kyiv hill, continuing an internet meme about Kyiv residents gathering on the hill for an orgy if Russia launches a nuclear missile at the capital—a farewell to earth and fulfillment of secret desires as a final earthly pleasure.
The post-apocalyptic work serves as a contemporary interpretation of French artist Eugène Delacroix's historical painting "The Death of Sardanapalus." According to legend, the Assyrian king, unable to suppress a rebellion, ordered the killing of his horse, dogs, and women before enjoying his final moments with an orgy.
Speaking with a visitor interested in Kadan's works, Poggi emphasized: "Delacroix's painting was revolutionary for its era, and Kadan's painting can be considered the same."
Gallery founders Maksym and Yulia Voloshyn's stand attracts dozens of Ukrainian and international artists, journalists, creators, and businesspeople. Works by Kadan consistently draw interest from visitors.
A potential client took note of two smaller-format works by Kadan, one of thousands of visitors who have stopped and will continue stopping at the Ukrainian gallerists' corner.
According to the report, Europeans have grown weary of information about the war in Ukraine in its traditional press format, and art can become a voice that directly or indirectly reminds the world about Ukrainian experiences, suffering animals, and hidden desires, thoughts, or fears.
In recent years, Ukrainian gallerists have increased their influence abroad. Forbes Ukraine data shows that during the full-scale war, foreign museums and institutions have purchased dozens of works by contemporary Ukrainian artists. This year, the Voloshyns also participated for the first time in the prestigious Frieze contemporary art fair in New York, presenting Kadan's works.
