Interview with Serhiy Kolyada

q)For the people who don't know your work - how would you describe it ?

a)I call my art contemporary postmodern art, because I try to show todays life mixing the traditions of old classic arts and literature and todays images of pop-culture, politics, etc. ... A lot of my works are about real life in Ukraine, I try to show the truth, that's why not a lot of people want to see my art in my country. Especialy our Ukrainian galleries refuse me all the time to make my exhibitions, so, there is a kind of censorship in my country. The owners of the galleries are affraid of our authorities, that they can take off the licenses for their business, I think. Nobody in Ukraine wants to see the true life in art. Most of my art is bought by Europeans, Americans and Canadiens. Maybe, one reason more is not ordinary media I use- not traditional, it's a ball-point pen on paper. Sometimes I add some watercolors or collage details in some of my works...  A lot of people don't beleive I use ball point pen... Sometimes my works look like black-and-white photographs...

q)What are the key themes running through your practice?

a)As I told, I try to show the true life in Ukraine and also sometimes I depict some themes of global life. Also I like to make some erotic art. I show the world of corruption in Ukrainian politics, the problem of prostitution and sex-tourism in Ukraine, the problem of using alcohole and drugs among Ukrainian youth, the problems of world economical crisis and contrasts of rich and poor people in Ukraine...

q)Your favorite place on earth?

a)I didn't travel a lot... I like my country and I liked Sweden where I was in 1991 during the communist putch in Moscow, when Ukraine still was the part of Soviet Union. I asked the political asylem in Sweden but in a month the Swedish authorities told me that Ukraine is democratic and free now, and I have to go back...

q)What influences your work?

a)Old classic art, literature, ancient myths one one hand influences my work... and on the other hand some great artists, like Ukrainian Taras Shevchenko (19 century), Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, some of the German expressionists and some other surrealist painters... And the influence of contemporary pop-culture, mass symbols from advertisings, gloss magazines, including erotic and even porn photos... All of this is combined in one postmodern mixture... I also call my art "LifeScapes" (from still-life and landscapes) or "Visual prose"...

q)What music are you into right now?

a)I listen to different music - from classical to todays hard rock

q)Describe your thought & design process...

a)Usualy, I read some book, see television look at advertising boards on the streets, listen to the people talking- all of this, as I told became in a strange mixture in my head... sometimes I use even some of my night dreams...

q)Which emerging artists are you looking forward to seeing more of?

a)I am interested in some of my friend artists in Ukraine, we organize together a group which is called "Freedom or Death"... all of them try to show our true life in Ukraine... Some time ago I began to find different artists abroad on Saatchi Online and I found some interesting artists and interesting art with interesting ideas and concepts... It will be good to make some international exhibition...

q)Favorite place on the internet?

a)As I told last time I liked Saatchi Online, besides I get acqainted with intersting people on Facebook...

q)Do you have any upcoming projects/exhibitions we should know about?

a)I took part with my friend artists in Ukraine in different art fairs, but now I cannot tell you what will be in future, I still have problem to make the exhibition in Ukraine... but I'd love to have my personal show... 

q)Tell us something we don't know - but should...

a) The most important thing I'd like to tell you that Ukraine is not free in sence of free art, free mass-media still and even isn't free economicaly and even in politics. To my mind and a lot of people will agree with me that we still have unhuman government and president who are part of mafia... That's why I cannot develop my art free. In fact, I'd like Ukraine to be a part of Europe, that I could go free in Europe to show my art free in European galleries. But European politicians understand that it's dangerous to allow Ukrainian mafia and criminals come to Europe...  

q) Where can people see more of your work on the internet?

a) All my art people can find on my personal web-site: www.kolyada.com