The cultural platform ‘Narva Art Residency (NART)’ has selected the internationally renowned Ukrainian artist Ihor Tkachivskyi to create and install his large-scale sculpture ‘The Joy of Being Human’ in Narva. The sculpture will deal with the five senses and focus on the human body as the most valuable thing we have.
The 43-year-old comes from the south-west of Ukraine. He recently arrived in Narva and will be working on this six-part monumental sculpture made of Corten steel until mid-September. Corten steel is a particularly weather-resistant metal that forms a protective layer of rust and is therefore very durable. He would prefer to start work immediately, but at the moment he still has to wait for materials and the necessary equipment. He hopes that he can keep to the ambitious schedule.
The artist and sculptor is internationally recognised for his large sculptures made of wood, stone and metal. He has not only taken part in exhibitions, projects and symposia in many European countries, but also in South America, Korea and Egypt.
But this work is particularly important to me,’ says the artist. "It is particularly large and complex. In addition, the message I associate with the work is the most important theme of all: human life."
Ihor Tkachivskyi studied art in Ukraine and Poland. For his doctorate, he focussed on the restoration of old buildings. ‘But I have always worked as an artist.’ It is important to him not only to create beautiful objects, but also to enter into a dialogue with the people who view his works. In doing so, he experiments with a wide variety of materials and tests their limits. His works also include sculptures made of snow, ice, sand or earth. For Narva, he chose Corten steel, a particularly weather-resistant metal, as this steel forms a layer of rust that protects the underlying material from further corrosion.
Even though the sculptor works a lot and receives many project commissions, it is not easy for him to finance his life and that of his family with his art. Time and again, he has to take on odd jobs to earn extra money. His wife also works as an artist - partly freelance and partly at the university. He emphasises that he always promotes himself as an artist with his art. "I don't have an advantage because I come from Ukraine and Ukraine is at war right now. Like everyone else, I have to convince people with my art."
The war in Ukraine, which has been going on since 2014, influences Tkachivskyi's work in subtle ways. While he and his wife created international works in 2023 that explained the war and highlighted its senselessness, he deliberately took a different direction with ‘The Joy of Being Human’. ‘My work in Narva is not about war,’ explains Tkachivskyi. "It's an invitation to enjoy life and lead a good life. That is my position on war."
As an Ukrainian artist, Narva is a special place for Tkachivskyi. The high proportion of Russian speakers is not foreign to him, as many people in Ukraine also speak Russian. ‘But Russia is already very close.’ He has not yet heard any voices on the street in support of Putin's war. On the contrary, he has heard people speaking Ukrainian and assumes that they are refugees. The daily reality of the war in his home country is also present for him in Narva, as he is in constant contact with his family, who report air raids and drone attacks. ‘Then I'm afraid for my wife and children and worry that I can't do anything for them at that moment,’ he says.
As an artist listed with the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, Ihor Tkachivskyi is allowed to leave the country, even if the war has often made travel planning more difficult, for example due to visa cancellations at short notice. ‘I make my art and my sculptures for the sake of art and for my career,’ he concludes. "I assume that I am also presenting Ukraine with my art. In times of war, it is particularly important to show what people in my country are capable of."
The two-metre-high installation ‘The Joy of Being Human’ promises to be a powerful statement of humanity and resilience in a changing world.
