Lidia Borysenko presented the art project “Music Beyond Boundaries”

July 11, 2014

This is the title of the exhibition that will run for another three weeks at the Art-14 Gallery.

The latest trends in contemporary art have been embodied in the works of Lidia Borysenko (paper, original technique) and Alla Zhmailo (accessories).

Upon entering the gallery, it feels as though you’re stepping into a space with a different dimension of time. Harmony reigns here—the harmony of the space itself, of light and shadow, of paper and transparent letters: I and You and We and They and All—unity. Silence, serenity, visualized music, and gentle touches of hands that embrace you with Heavenly Love. You find yourself in the Universe… And you hold on to hope for the better and believe that life goes on…

Lidia Borysenko, a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, explains her project as follows:

“The conceptual core of the project lies in the interweaving of many symbolic threads.

It is black and white, yin and yang, heaven and earth, father and mother;

It is the various shades of the music of human relationships, visually manifested in the touches of hands;

It is the rhythmic alternation of cut-out text lines in paper—’you and I, and we, and all’—symbolizing unity;

It is music itself, Ukrainian choral music, which in my inner world has transcended texts, religions, denominations—all those limitations people create for themselves;

This is a project about what matters most to me—the harmony of Heaven and Earth within a human being.”

– Lidia, why sacred music in particular?

— Sacred music—because, by fate, I studied for a year at the Regent School in St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral, where I learned this music. Later, in a small church, I formed a little choir and we sang this music.

— How many years did it take you to create this exhibition?

— I became “pregnant” with this collection back in 2000. Since then, I wrote three projects, but none of them felt right—they couldn’t take visual form. I wanted to express all that was inside me, all that resonated within me, in a very light and unobtrusive way. And then, by fate, I met Katia (the owner of Art-14 Gallery), and in this gallery the exhibition finally came to life—everything harmoniously came together.

— Why do you think the exhibition happened now, during such difficult times for Ukraine, when life and death are no longer abstract ideas but real experiences?

— The thing is, an artist channels certain images through themselves. And the image of love, which is meant to unite people and inspire reflection on one’s place in the world as part of a greater community, simply wanted to be born in this way. I believe that people need this right now.

— In your works, you place a strong emphasis on hands. Why?

— In one of the pieces, the one with a circle, there are people holding hands. Every touch, with each person around us, has its own kind of music. You see, hands—if I may put it this way—grow from the heart. They are a powerful medium for conveying love. Of course, love can be expressed in many ways, but hands transmit it very directly. There’s a reason why ancient traditions included the laying on of hands—it was a means of passing something on. I really love depicting hands, and when I’m standing in front of a choir, I conduct the music through my hands. You move it through them.

— And here in your work it says: “I and you, you and I, and you, and we and they, and all.” What message did you want to share with people?

— I wanted to share the message that we are all one. I always say that for me, as someone from the world of culture, there are only two kinds of people: cultured and uncultured. That’s it. In truth, we are all inhabitants of one planet. The other name I considered for the exhibition was All (Vsi). Si is also the penultimate note in the octave, and All is a simple yet powerful word that expresses our unity. This is deeply important to me. If people remembered this, life on Earth would be a little different. Love, being together, shared humanity—that’s the essence.

And one more thread—this exhibition is essentially dedicated to my parents. My mother enrolled me in music school; she wanted me to study music. And in 9th grade, I entered art school. My father was the artist in our family. The intertwining of these two lines—music from my mother and art from my father—shaped who I am. That connection is very important to me.

— In these difficult times, what would you wish for all people?

— Harmonious music in their relationships.