This lecture focuses on the decolonial changes that Ukrainian art has undergone in the last eleven years, following the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2014 and subsequently, the full-scale invasion in 2022. It examines how collective resistance to Russia's war against Ukraine shaped the reinterpretations of contested memory and divided identities of the past. The focus on politically and socially engaged art practices allows for tracing important societal transformations through the lens of resilience and a quest for epistemic justice. The lecture draws on research findings from two recently published books: the edited volume Art in Ukraine Between Identity Construction and Anti-Colonial Resistance (Routledge, 2024) and the monograph Ambicoloniality and War: The Ukrainian-Russian Case (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025).

Time: Friday April 11th, 5-6pm

Place: Zoom