An exhibition by Volodymyr Chornyi, artist and fallen soldier, is now open at the INDEX space.
Photos: Tanya Bots
We have recently opened a new commemorative exhibition at the INDEX space titled ‘The Deepest Black’, featuring the paintings and stories by Volodymyr Chornyi — an artist, production designer, and fallen serviceman.
Volodymyr most often worked with etching, creating intricate engravings on metal. His works are imbued with multiple layers of meaning: the Soviet punitive machine, the Holodomor, and Chornobyl coexist organically with reflections on the continuity of human spirituality, friendship, and fairy-tale motifs inspired by the common Black Sea goby fish.
‘It was difficult for Vovchyk at war; he was, after all, an artist, a man of culture, but he couldn't have done otherwise... He created an atmosphere wherever he went. His brothers-in-arms said he knew how to bring comfort even to the most desolate and uncomfortable conditions. Sometimes the boys would return from a mission to find he’d cooked borscht for everyone—it smelled like home, even in the middle of those grey dugouts,’ shared the artist's wife, Olena Biletska, during the opening.
We are sincerely grateful to Olena for the curatorial tour, Volodymyr’s favourite apples, and the detailed explanation of his engraving techniques. We also extend our warm thanks to Mariana Matveichuk, author of the posthumous portrait of Volodymyr Chornyi published by The Ukrainians as part of the special project ‘People of Culture Taken by the War’.
On 27 March, another curatorial tour of the exhibition will be held by the artist’s wife, Olena Biletska, where we will discuss the art, life, and adventures of Volodymyr Chornyi. Further details will be announced soon.
The exhibition is open to the public until 29 May. Visiting hours:
Mondays and Fridays: 16:00 – 18:00
Wednesdays: 11:00 – 13:00
Volodymyr Chornyi was born in Kropyvnytskyi. Since childhood, he had dreamed of becoming an artist and eventually received his professional education at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture (Studio of Easel Graphic Art under Professor A.V. Chebykin). His journey was a testament to his persistence: he applied seven times before finally securing his place on the eighth attempt. This same tenacity defined his entire creative career.
After graduating, he began working as a set decorator for the film industry. His craftsmanship shaped the atmosphere of acclaimed films such as 'Pamfir', 'Iron Butterflies', 'The Gateway' (Brama), 'Our Kitties', and 'Maid-In-Law' (Viddana). As a production designer and set decorator, he also worked on music videos for Okean Elzy, DREZDEN, Sonya Kay, TNMK, and many others.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, Volodymyr joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a volunteer, where he took the call sign ‘Kara’ (meaning ‘black’ in Turkic languages). He was killed in action on 9 May 2023. Posthumously, Volodymyr Chornyi was awarded the Order of Merit (3rd Class) and the Order for Courage (3rd Class).
To learn more about the artist and view his works, please visit his website. A detailed portrait of Volodymyr Chornyi was also published as part of the project ‘Killed by Russia: Figures of Ukrainian Culture’.
This project was created with the support of the ERSTE Stiftung.