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MUSEUM IN AND OUT The group Urban SOUS based in Kherson (Southern Ukraine) has been working with urbanism for a long time and uses language of art to seek answers for acute social and political issues. Within the project 'Public education through Public Space: accessible to all', they have adopted a 'site-specific art' approach, which is a method of artistic anthropology suitable for areas with indistinct identity, that is, for regions where residents cannot particularly relate to the local specifics of the region. Why? Because they do not understand its uniqueness, because the cultural landscape there is too distorted by the Soviet uniform construction and has been in decline over the last decades as a result of the endless change in ideological paradigms. In such situation, it is already considered a great success merely to adapt to the new slogans, to let alone the search for regional identity... And this manifests a direct path to the marginalization of the region and the loss of its symbolism. As artists explore the cultural environment around them and convey their vision, it does not always (to put it bluntly) correspond to the expectations of the community. However, it opens up opportunities for discussion and critical analysis. And most importantly, as Yulia Manukyan is convinced, it awakens in people the thirst for new knowledge and social changes. If to believe the statement that there is «no any type of art», there are different forms of anthropological practice instead, the format of «site-specific art», which is an artistic intervention, the contents of which is determined by the characteristics of the locality or venue, represents an optimal way to «delve» into the local context and to create an art objects related to this place and designed for this place.
Фото: © Чаплинський музей | Photo: © Chaplynka Museum
Such projects, in contrast to art for the sake of art, have a distinct social implication: to show local residents their «homeland» from unexpected angles, to expose hidden problems and to reflect upon the apparent problems. But its essence does not in any way lie in reproducing the «horrors of provincial reality». In their practice, artists address issues of identity and culture that are associated with these places. The underlying task, alongside with understanding current issues, is to comprehend what makes the locality unique, what are its «piquancies» and potential tourism triggers. No wonder artists began to work on collecting and analyzing information in the local museums, as, in our view, they are preferred suppliers of the regional branding and cultural symbols of the area. Based on that it is possible to build the program of rescue and promotion of their historical heritage. This immersion in the past makes contemporary artistic expression particularly strong.
Виготовлена на заводі Івана Вікторовича Нечади, який був в Одесі на вул. Балковій, 191 (ріг Виноградної, тепер – Ісаака Бабеля). Шарманка – один з найпопулярніших інструментів великих міст України наприкінці ХІХ – початку ХХ століття. Назва походить від популярної вуличної французької пісні «Charmante Katharine». Від неї ж і українська назва інструмента – Катеринка. Високоякісні й чудово орнаментовані шарманки Нечади вуличні музиканти використовували багато десятиліть, аж до 1960 років.
Зразок листівки за результатами тренінгу для музейників «Топ 5 експонатів вашого музею». Шарманка стаціонарна з Чаплинського музею. Sample of the card as the result of the training for museum professionals «Top 5 Most Exciting Items in Your Museum». A stationary drum barrel organ from the Chaplynka Museum.
