As part of the 2026 Venice Biennale, Sergey Bratkov’s performance Iron Drive was presented to the public.

During the Preview Week of the 2026 Venice Biennale, CityX Foundation unveiled its new large-scale project Fragile in Motion, featuring Iron Drive, a performance and installation by Sergey Bratkov. The event took place at the Arsenale (Pavilion 1) with the support of Kharkiv Municipal Gallery and Vovatanya Gallery.

Iron Drive is an immersive environment of movement, heat, light, and industrial material that explores irreversibility, tension, and the fragile boundary between preservation and destruction. Developed within the concept of Fragile Art, the work transforms urgent social issues and experiences of violence into a profound sensory experience.

Concept

Tension, Memory, and the Point of No Return

The project investigates irreversibility — a gesture that affirms the impossibility of returning to the past. Throughout the performance, an object is transformed into clothing, becoming a fabric of collective memory shaped by contemporary realities.

A single movement is enough to alter the material forever. This sequence of actions reflects the experience of decision-making and its consequences, revealing instability as one of the defining characteristics of contemporary society. Through repetition, tension gradually accumulates, evoking responsibility, courage, and the necessity of moving forward despite adversity.

Over the course of two days, the performance unfolded continuously in time, blurring the boundaries between installation, ritual, and collective experience. Activated by a live ensemble of performers, Iron Drive positioned the human body simultaneously as an instrument and a witness, where every gesture leaves a lasting trace.

Event Information

Dates: May 7–8, 2026

Venue: Pavilion 1, Arsenale (Calle dei Forni 2187/A), Venice, Italy

Nearest Vaporetto Stop: Arsenale

Day One Schedule (May 7)

16:00 — Doors Open

17:00 — Iron Drive. Live Performance I

17:30 — Welcome Remarks by the Organizers (CityX Foundation)

Project Curatorial Team

Sergey Bratkov, Tetiana Tumasyan, Anastasiia Nikolaieva

Artist

Sergey Bratkov is one of Ukraine’s most prominent multidisciplinary artists. His work exposes the hidden fractures and contradictions of contemporary reality. Recognized internationally for his uncompromising artistic practice, Bratkov’s works are held in major museum collections around the world.

Performers

Tania Tytova

Iryna Ozarynska (Ozi)

Oksana Samorukova

Anna Aizneshtadte

Grishigiano

Photographer

Anastasiia Havrylenko