Maria Vilkovisky and Ruthie Jenrbekova

Kyiv, Ukraine
July 6 – 27, 2017

krëlex zentr is imaginary artistic institution based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. krëlex zentr is interested in the intersections of curatorial, artistic, activist and research approaches and practices. “We are trying to experiment with hybridity in its various manifestations. The organization is imaginary, as it is adapted to life in the zones with institutional deficiency. We believe that art in its broadest sense is the key to answering the most important existential questions related to life, death and other exciting projects that are so pleasant to do in the moments of leisure.” In recent years, two artists from Kazakhstan Maria Vilkovisky and Ruthie Jenrbekova have represented the krëlex zentr on a semi-official level.

During their residency in Kyiv, Maria Vilkovisky and Ruthie Jenrbekova explored self-organized forms of artistic life, especially those related to emancipatory, intersectional, decolonial and queer issues. It was important for them not only to show such forms, but also to investigate the conditions in which they are shaped.

Shalazine – the self-published journal was the result of the residency. Shalazine’s first issue focuses on the topic of of self-organization in contemporary art.

On July 13th, krëlex zentr gave a presentation at the Gallery of DIM MK, where Maria and Ruthie told: whom the krëlex zentr represents of, how do they understand of Creolization, what artistic traditions they are trying to appropriate, what is the concept of ​​emancipation of the imaginary, and why magical feminism is needed.

On July 25th in the A. Fomin’s Kiev Botanical Garden krëlex zentr held a group therapy session on open air All people are philosophers. Participants were invited to share their personal experience of reading difficult texts. As the leader of the session, Ruthie Jenrbekova made a brief review of her own cognitive failures.