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Odessa Collections - 2nd Conference, Photo Report

Odessa Collections - 2nd Conference, Photo Report

РедакторJuly 5, 2025

Odesa, July 4, 2025, 12:00 PM — Odesa's cultural landscape is gearing up for a landmark event: the II City Conference "Odesa Collections: History and Modernity" will take place in the very heart of the city. This isn't just another academic symposium; it's a platform for in-depth analysis, reflection, and shaping the future of one of Ukraine's richest artistic legacies. As an expert who has closely followed the development of art history in the region for over a decade, I can confidently say this conference promises to be a milestone.

Linda Strautman at the Odesa Collections conference in Odesa — Expert Linda Strautman delivers a presentation at the II Conference on Collections

A short video of the second conference "Odessa Collections", feel the atmosphere of the art space of Odessa, meet the speakers and their theses:

"Odesa Collections – II": A City Conference – A New Perspective on Art

The announced format of five panel discussions, featuring leading specialists, collectors, museum professionals, researchers, and innovators, eloquently speaks to the scale and relevance of the questions being addressed. In light of the ongoing challenges facing Ukrainian culture, the understanding and preservation of collections acquire particular strategic importance.

Presentations and interaction among experts at the Odesa Collections conference

Panel Discussions: Depth and Multifaceted Topics

1. Specificity and Features of Odesa Collections and Collecting Trends. This discussion, with the participation of acclaimed experts such as Anatolii Drozdovskyi, Serhii Kalmykov, Taras Maksymiuk, Feliks Kokhrykht, and Oleksandr Fridman, promises to be a cornerstone of the conference. Odesa has always been distinguished by a unique collecting spirit, shaped by its multicultural context and distinctive artistic taste. Understanding this specificity is key to studying not only the local but also, more broadly, the Ukrainian art school. Experts will explore the evolution of collecting, major trends, and the unique characteristics that set Odesa's collections apart on the national stage.

Presentation at the II City Conference Odesa Collections — The audience listens attentively to reports at the conference on collections

2. Private and Municipal Collections. Museumification. Preservation During Wartime. This is arguably one of the most pressing and vital topics. Led by Semen Kantor, Zoia Shynchuk, Linda Strautman, Yurii Balashov, and Vitalii Lisnychyi, participants will discuss the complex issues of interaction between private collections and state museums, and the processes of transforming private passion into public heritage. Special attention will be paid to the unprecedented challenge of preserving cultural values amidst a full-scale war. This aspect requires not only methodological but also practical solutions, and Odesa's experience in this matter is invaluable. The participation of figures like Linda Strautman (director of the "Artists' House" gallery) guarantees a perspective on the problem from both theoretical and practical sides of collection management.

Dialogue and discussion at the conference on art and collections

3. Studying Collections. Relevance of Replenishment. Archives. The panel featuring Tamara Mykhailychenko, Tetiana Shchurova, Olena Yavorska, and Oleksandr Yakymchuk will focus on the foundation of art history—research work. Archival research, attribution of artworks, and addressing gaps in collections—these topics are critically important for the scholarly understanding of collections. In a context where many archives and funds remain insufficiently studied, the work of this section will set new vectors for future research.

Attendees of the Odesa Collections conference analyze a presentation — Interactive part of the conference: attention to reports and materials

4. Popularization of Collections and Collecting. Educational Aspect and Management. A modern museum and collection are inconceivable without active engagement with the audience. Oleksandr Kostohryz, Dmytro Sikorskyi and will discuss strategies for promoting artistic heritage, the role of education in shaping a new generation of collectors and art enthusiasts. Effective management and innovative approaches to popularization are key to ensuring that collections do not remain the preserve of a narrow circle but serve society.

5. Attracting Investments and Ideas. New Concepts. The last, but no less important, panel featuring Denys Mitskevych looks to the future. Financial sustainability, seeking new sources of support, and implementing advanced concepts in the preservation and exhibition of art are key issues for the development of cultural institutions in the modern world. The presence of figures known for their digital art projects is especially valuable, promising a discussion of the most current and innovative approaches to art.

The "Odesa Collections – II" conference is not just a gathering of specialists; it is a demonstration of the resilience, intellectual power, and forward-looking spirit of Odesa's cultural environment. It is expected that the discussions will lead to new approaches in the study, preservation, and popularization of artistic heritage, further strengthening Odesa's status as one of Ukraine's key art centers. This event will serve as a vivid confirmation that even in the most challenging times, art and scholarship continue to live, develop, and serve as a source of inspiration.