Ukraine 2022

Title: The Fountain of Exhaustion. Acqua alta
Commissioner: Kateryna Chuyeva, Deputy Minister for European Integration of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine
Curators: Lizaveta German, Maria Lanko, Borys Filonenko
Exhibitor: Pavlo Makov

When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, the team behind the Ukrainian Pavilion had to reunite with their families and find a safe place to shelter. All the work on the project was suspended due to safety concerns. But, less than two weeks later, the curators found a way to represent Ukraine. The team shared that they have managed to evacuate fragments of the artwork from Kyiv, which is being heavily shelled and planned to recreate the rest of the project in Venice.

The pavilion of Ukraine presents Pavlo Makov‘s “Fountain of Exhaustion“, a kinetic sculpture consisting of 72 copper funnels, mounted to a three square meter (10 feet) platform. The funnels are arranged one below the other in the form of a pyramid. The water poured into each funnel is divided into two streams, feeding the funnels below it in the pyramid. Only a few drops reach the bottom, symbolizing exhaustion on a personal and global level.