“Crit” (short for critique) is an important component of the British system of art education. It is an informal environment in which new artworks are presented for discussion and feedback from peers. During the discussion, honest opinions and questions about the works are encouraged, but in a friendly and constructive manner. Crit is held to help artists improve and develop their own ideas, find new means of research, and critically examine their own practice with the participation of others in the discussion process. We also invite everyone interested to join the discussion without presenting their own works.

Criteria for works to be presented:
• Any works related to contemporary visual or conceptual art practices (“moving image”, performance, painting, sculpture, installation, photography, digital media) will be considered.
• If you are a student, preference is given to your individual projects (please do not bring coursework).
• If possible, please bring and present the original work itself. However, if this is not possible, you may present its documentation (photos or video of a performance or installation).
• We will not be able to view lengthy works, so we recommend showing or performing them in excerpts/versions no longer than 10 minutes.

Vicki Thornton (www.vickithornton.com) (b. 1981, Derby, United Kingdom) — an artist and filmmaker working with both film and visual art. Her work combines approaches from documentary and fiction film in exploring the relationships between place, memory, performance, and identity. She has presented films at, among others, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Czech Republic) — in 2017, Black Nights in Tallinn (Estonia), DOKLeipzig (Germany), Cambridge Film Festival (United Kingdom), Alchemy Moving Image Festival (Scotland), and Clermont-Ferrand (France) — in 2016. After graduating from the Royal College of Art in London in 2011, Thornton is currently pursuing a PhD at Queen Mary University of London. Vicki’s residency took place at “IZOLYATSIA. Platform for Cultural Initiatives” in Kyiv (September–October 2017).

Adam Walker (www.adamjbwalker.co.uk) (b. 1983, Brussels, Belgium) lives in London. He received a Master’s degree in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts. In his research-based artistic practice, Walker seeks to raise questions concerning artistic labour, production, and how they may or may not be assessed as valuable, sustainable, and important. Walker uses a wide range of media, among which text, performance, and video art predominate. Adam stayed in Kyiv for a residency at the Soshenko 33 art studios in September–October 2017.

Eight artists from Ukraine and the United Kingdom (Polina Karpova, Maria Kulikovska, Anton Lapov, Vova Vorotniov; Kung Hwa Shon, Stephen Sheehan, Vicki Thornton, Adam Walker) will show the results of their visual research at the final exhibition of the SWAP: UK/Ukraine 2017-2018 residency programme at YermilovCentre in Kharkiv from March 16 to April 15, 2018. An educational programme is planned within the project, which will help viewers become better acquainted with each of the residency participants.

The curatorial team of the final exhibition — Olena Kasperovych (YermilovCentre), Illia Zabolotnyi (British Council).
Curator of the exhibition’s educational programme – Anastasiia Khlestova (Kharkiv Municipal Gallery).
http://www.britishcouncil.org.ua/…/arts/visual-arts/swap“Crit” with Vicki Thornton and Adam Walker, artists who stayed in Ukraine as part of the British Council’s SWAP: UK/Ukraine art residency programme, and the curators of the residency at Soshenko 33 — Anna Sorokova and Taras Kovach.
Venue — HudpromLoft (8 Mystetstv St., Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts)

“Crit” (short for critique) is an important component of the British system of art education. It is an informal environment in which new artworks are presented for discussion and feedback from peers. During the discussion, honest opinions and questions about the works are encouraged, but in a friendly and constructive manner. Crit is held to help the artist improve and develop their own ideas, find new means of research, and critically examine their own practice with the participation of others in the discussion process. We also invite everyone interested to join the discussion without presenting their own works.

Criteria for works to be presented:
• Any works related to contemporary visual or conceptual art practices (“moving image”, performance, painting, sculpture, installation, photography, digital media) will be considered.
• If you are a student, preference is given to your individual projects (please do not bring coursework).
• If possible, please bring and present the original work itself. However, if this is not possible, you may present its documentation (photos or video of a performance or installation).
• We will not be able to view lengthy works, so we recommend showing or performing them in excerpts/versions no longer than 10 minutes.

Vicki Thornton (www.vickithornton.com) — an artist and filmmaker. Her works combine elements of documentary and fiction film in exploring the relationships between place, memory, performance, and identity. She received a Bachelor’s degree from the sculpture department at Camberwell College of Art, as well as a Master’s degree in Photography and Moving Image from the Royal College of Art, London. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Film Studies at Queen Mary University of London.

Adam Walker (www.adamjbwalker.co.uk) works with performance, text, video, and digital contexts. His works explore themes of event, labour, value, and subjectivity. He is pursuing a PhD at the Royal College of Art, having previously studied at Chelsea College of Arts, Camberwell College of Art, and Cambridge University.

Eight artists from Ukraine and the United Kingdom (Polina Karpova, Maria Kulikovska, Anton Lapov, Vova Vorotniov; Kung Hwa Shon, Stephen Sheehan, Vicki Thornton, Adam Walker) will present the results of their residencies within the SWAP: UK/UKRAINE programme and show the results of their visual research at YermilovCentre in Kharkiv from March 16 to April 15, 2018. The project will include events as part of an educational programme that will help viewers become better acquainted with each participant. . The curatorial team of the final exhibition — Olena Kasperovych (YermilovCentre), Illia Zabolotnyi (British Council). Curator of the exhibition’s educational programme – Anastasiia Khlestova (Kharkiv Municipal Gallery).
SWAP: UK/Ukraine — the British Council’s annual residency programme in Ukraine for artists and curators. The programme is implemented in cooperation with Liverpool Biennial, the largest contemporary art festival in the United Kingdom, and the most innovative and experimental art institutions in Ukraine.
http://www.britishcouncil.org.ua/…/arts/visual-arts/swap