The project revolves around the family stories of three artists: Polina Kuznetsova from Ukraine, Eva Neidlinger, and Jenny Alten from Germany. The paths of their ancestors intersected in Ukraine, occupied by the German National Socialists. Notably, the great-grandfather of director Eva Neidlinger, a Wehrmacht soldier, was in Kharkiv during the Nazi occupation. During that time, the harsh realities of war also affected the childhood of Polina Kuznetsova’s grandmother.
The exhibition uses diaries, photographs, oral memories from past generations, and artistic reflections from our contemporaries to highlight important themes related to family and national historical memory. It addresses the challenges of overcoming the traumatic legacy of the past and promotes reconciliation between different peoples. The exhibition encourages dialogue between generations and cultures while exploring ways to preserve memory.
The exhibition concludes with the art installation "Voices," part of Polina Kuznetsova’s project "Chornozem," created in collaboration with artist Andrii Skrypka. At its core is earth, which symbolizes memory—a material that holds the memories of the past, even when people forget.
Project implemented in cooperation with the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst and supported by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine.
The Team of a project:
Idea — Eva Neidlinger, Polina Kuznetsova
Curators — Maryna Bohush, Yurii Horpynych
Design and architecture — Anna Voitovych
Graphic design — Liudmyla Nikorych
Scientific consulting — Dmytro Hainetdinov, Roman Kabachiy, Yana Hrynko
Collection management and restoration — Oksana Yankovenko, Anna Domashen, Vita Pchola, Tetiana Pohorila, Yuliia Penzina, Iryna Rudenko, Tetiana Yavorska, Vladyslav Filonenko, Savva Mostovyi
Editing and translation — Oleksandra Pidsukha, Alla Hrushetska
Media production — Danyil Pinko, Polina Miakushko, Kateryna Miakushko, Roman Pupenko
Public communications — Liudmyla Melnyk, Anna Zurova, Anastasiia Yevhlevska
Technical coordination — Oleh Kucheriavyi, Oleksii Ishchenko, Yan Denenfeld, Anton Logov, Oleh Olefirenko, Taras Paliy, Mykola Darmostuk, Andrii Zahrebelnyi, Serhii Bilohub, Victoria Radzievska, Oleksandr Seletskyi, Kostiantyn Perebyinis, Stepan Karas, Mykhailo Nahornyi, Valerii Borovyk, Dmytro Popovych, Anatolii Bitsenko, Petro Kyrychenko, Serhii Zadirayenkov, Alisa Prylutska, Mariia Holoskok, Ivan Ferkaliak, Kostiantyn Lebid, Iryna Dvorska, Nataliia Levadniuk, Svitlana Tetiura, Tetiana Sydorenko, Liudmyla Zadorozhna, Larysa Hrytsyshyna, Iryna Korneliuk
The project was implemented with the support of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine in partnership with the Berlin-Karlshorst Museum.