The exhibition Political Anatomy. Version. by Ukrainian artist Vlada Ralko at 91 galerie in Frankfurt presents a series of works from her collaborative project with Volodymyr Budnikov Political Anatomy created during a residency in Poland, and works on paper from the Lviv Diary which the artist has been keeping since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Political Anatomy. Version. is a complex dialogue between the artist, her creativity, and the viewer, in which she offers a profound analysis of the war’s impact on individual fates and collective memory, building bridges to understanding and empathy. Through her works, Ralko not only highlights the theme of war but also questions common views on its necessity and inevitability, opening a discourse on responsibility, choice, and human agency.

In her artistic practice, Vlada Ralko continues to explore the question, «What does it mean to be human?», which becomes particularly acute and relevant during the war. She focuses our attention on internal dialogue, on conscience, which she believes are the factors of human language that allow for political discourse, which in turn defines one as a human being. «Language is political, thus art as a way of expression is political,» says the artist.

The Lviv Diary plays an important role in shaping both the concept and the exposition of the exhibition. These are works from a series that the artist began in Lviv in February 2022, having temporarily fled the shelling in her native city of Kyiv. The artist chose the diary format not accidentally but out of necessity because its format allows her to quickly respond to and reflect on the condition induced by the war and its impact on the human psyche and society. Currently, the series comprises over 1000 A4 pages, on which the author narrates the war through art using accessible mediums like ballpoint pen and watercolor.

Where to find the answer to the question: How to continue living and being when genocide is happening in your country? After all, the numbness from shock and pain brought by the war has been our feature since February 24, 2022, the start of another cycle of war. Ukrainians protected and helped each other, but essentially could neither speak, write, nor create, overwhelmed by unspeakable weight and sorrow.

However, over time, the realization that the artist’s voice could and should be heard brought her back to practice. The experience of keeping the Kyiv Diary, a series of works created by Ralko during the events of 2014 in Ukraine, namely the Revolution of Dignity, the annexation of Crimea, and the invasion of eastern Ukraine by russians, came in handy. The Lviv Diary is a logical continuation of the Kyiv Diary, a way to speak again through art, not only a means of self-expression but also a tool for mentally processing and confronting the brutal reality of war. These diaries have become a testament to the evolution of Ralko’s inner world, transitioning from silence to words, from desperation to seeking answers.

Vlada Ralko’s practice is distinguished by the idea that language and meaning are deeply intertwined with context, and that they are never fixed or entirely stable. The meanings of the expressions created by the artist, both on the surfaces of her canvases and in the pages of her diaries, do not merely reflect thought but construct a dialogue through the complex interaction of words, contexts, symbols, and their various interpretations. The artist emphasizes language not as a clear conduit of meaning, but rather suggesting that meaning is always in flux and formed under the influence of various factors. Her approach challenges traditional views on art representation as a whole.

Thus, Vlada Ralko’s exhibition Political Anatomy. Version. in Frankfurt becomes a means of reflecting the invisible aspects of war and its impact on human life. This exhibition opens a space for reflection, prompts internal dialogue, and serves as a memorial to those who lost their lives, health, or homes due to war.

Through her art, Vlada Ralko not only reflects the realities of the contemporary world but also points to the potential of the language of art, which can provide direct access to truth or reality constructed through the interaction of signs and context. This project encourages a more critical and responsible attitude towards language, recognizing its potential to shape understanding and interpretation.

Maryna Shcherbenko, curator