Volodymyr Kuznetsov. „Buckwheat with Meat”

Volodymyr Kuznetsov
„Buckwheat with Meat”
4.12.2026–31.01.2027
Galeria Arsenał w Białymstoku, Mickiewicza Street 2
Curator: Monika Szewczyk

“Buckwheat with Meat” is an exhibition by Ukrainian artist Volodymyr Kuznetsov, who has been documenting the work of volunteers in the Kyiv region since 2022. Since the very first days of the full-scale war, we have witnessed the self-organisation of Ukrainian society. This is one of the most remarkable examples of the grassroots social mobilisation characteristic of Ukraine, with people spontaneously taking on responsibilities normally assumed by the state in the face of danger. Among the many examples are widespread neighbour-to-neighbour assistance, food and clothing collection points, volunteer-organised transport, fundraising campaigns to purchase military equipment, and the production of camouflage nets. The artist focuses primarily on those who prepare meals for soldiers on the front lines. His research also explores how Ukrainian volunteers organise their work and the scope of the initiatives they undertake. The exhibition features authentic recordings and testimonies from people who are continuously involved in providing assistance. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, volunteers have been working tirelessly, without rest, pay or days off.

Volodymyr Kuznetsov (born 1976 in Lutsk, Ukraine) studied at the Department of Art Textiles of the Lviv National Academy of Arts from 1999 to 2005. He is a co-founder of the Straight Line group, the curatorial collective Hudrada (the Artistic Council), the CCCK – Center for Communication and Context, and the artist group R.E.P. (Revolutsijnyj Experymentalnyj Prostir / Revolutionary Experimental Space). Kuznetsov focuses on the aesthetics of everyday practices as well as on the presence of the archaic in the contemporary world. He considers memory a kind of experience and generates new concepts through personal and collective knowledge.