On 12 May 2015, the Draftsmen’s Congress was launched in Ivano-Frankivsk. It was the event held as part of the first session of Art Residence in Ivano-Frankivsk. The event lasted for 9 days and finished on 20 May 2015. The Draftsmen’s Congress was held in Dnister Hotel situated at 12 Sichovi Striltsi Street, in the hall of 540 m².
The Draftsmen’s Congress concept was developed by Polish artist, sculptor, author of installations and videos Pawel Althamer and first presented as part of the 7th Berlin Biennale in 2012. Unbelievable success and design flexibility (the very process of creation is the product of contemporary art) allowed to hold the Draftsmen’s Congress again and again — in Rome, Warsaw, Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk. With changing countries, landscapes and participants, the project changes all the time and never copies the previous version.
The Draftsmen’s Congress unites people through collective drawing; it is a direct expression of collective creativity. Everyone draws where he wants and what he wants, professional and non-professional artists, amateurs meet in the same location for a dialogue by means of visual communication. As a result, there is a situation where all of them draw together, without any isolation from the others, which creates new community consciousness, when constructive dialogue and mutual understanding appear from chaos.
A special feature of the Draftsmen’s Congress in Ivano-Frankivsk was the collective creation of six sculptures. The project involved the representatives of all social groups developed dialogue and communication through various drawing techniques. About 10,000 people (participants and guests) from Ivano-Frankivsk and other cities of Ukraine visited the Draftsmen’s Congress.
The Draftsmen’s Congress was the result of Art Residence project implementation in Ivano-Frankivsk by Teple Misto. Art Residence is the platform designed to introduce contemporary art trends and create opportunities for open dialogue among artists. This is an attempt to speak the language of contemporary art, to tell actual stories and attempts to answer contemporary questions.
Resident — Pawel Althamer, a participant of the Venice Biennale, Manifesta, Documenta. His solo exhibitions were held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, Guggenheim Museum in Berlin, New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. He won Vincent van Gogh Biennial Award in 2004. He is a representative of socio-critical art.
Curator — Yevhen Samborskyi, Ukrainian artist, co-founder of Open Group, winner of the First Special Prize PinchukARTCenter 2013, winner of the contest for Young Ukrainian Artists MUHi 2012, participant of the first Kyiv Artist-in-Residence project KYIV-AIR 2013, two-time scholarship holder of the scholarship program of the Minister of Culture of Poland.
The project managers of Art Residence in Ivano-Frankivsk — Liliia Hohol and Roman Malynowskyi.
The event took place due to the active participation, promotion, and assistance of Ivano-Frankivsk progressive business representatives, who supported the organization of Art Residence: Nadiya Hotel, Arsbudkomplekt, Bukvytsia, DPI, Greinplast, Pirosmani, Familia, Kuhnia Restaurant, GOST Bar, Muliarov’s Svitlytsia, Shpyndel antique shop, 23 Restaurants.
