In June 1998, the second International Art Festival took place at the Kyiv Exhibition Center “Ukrainian House,” bringing together approximately 50 galleries, art centers, artists, and art historians from Ukraine and other countries.

The Municipal Gallery presented the project “If I Were the Tsar, or the Mania of Greatness,” which involved various art forms, media, and objects: sculpture, painting, photography, literature, art design, printmaking, music, light, theatrical installations, and pantomime.

A group of renowned Kharkiv artists, including V. Bondarenko, O. Kudinova, V. Norazyan, V. Kulikov, E. Yashin, O. Borisov, A. Gladky, and V. Filippov, participated in the project. Under the guidance of A. Ridny, V. Bysov, and I. Olenina, they created a pseudo-museum exhibition dedicated to the life and deeds of the fictional folk king, Gorokh.

On June 5th, a royal ball was held as part of the project’s presentation: a theatrical fashion show featuring metal clothing by the Galdikh designers, well-known in Kharkiv. On the closing day of the festival, June 7th, guests arrived at the “king’s” residence with their “Nest.” Kyiv residents witnessed a unique show-action by the ceramists, the Fomichyov brothers, and the painter O. Khomich, in which they also played unusual musical instruments.

As a result, the “Golden Section” award once again went to Kharkiv. The Kharkiv Municipal Gallery received this prize at the international art festival “Ukrainian Art of the 20th Century.” This marked the second consecutive year that the gallery had received this prestigious award and the title of “Best Gallery.”

https://mgallery.kharkov.ua/1998-proiekt-iakby-ia-buv-iz-tsarem-abo-maniia-velychi/