“Different Places” in Kyiv – the second edition of the Polish-Ukrainian exhibition on art in times of war and peace

On 28 November 2025, the second edition of the exhibition “Different Places” will open at the National Art Museum of Ukraine in Kyiv, continuing the series that began in the summer. It explores how art created before and during the full-scale war with Russia changes its meaning, and how different experiences of life in times of peace and war influence the way artists from Ukraine and Poland see the world. The Adam Mickiewicz Institute is a co-organiser of the exhibition.

“Different Places 2” – a new edition of the Polish-Ukrainian art project

The first edition of the “Different Places” exhibition took place from June to July 2025 and served as a prelude to the second, larger presentation. It focused on works created before 2022, which – viewed today through the prism of war – have acquired new meanings and provoked questions about how the perception of art changes when the world changes, and whether a work of art remains unchanged in the face of a shifting order. The exhibition “Different Places 2” represents another encounter between artists from Ukraine and Poland, this time presenting works created between 2022 and 2025 – during the period of full-scale war between Ukraine and Russia. The project continues artistic research into how a radically different life context influences the language of art, the perception of the world and creative possibilities. 

The title of the exhibition refers to Steve Reich’s piece “Different Trains”, which juxtaposes parallel life trajectories and differing fates of people depending on where they found themselves, using the example of a Jew living in the United States compared with a resident of Europe during World War II. “Different Places 2” also enables us to perceive these differences in how our place of residence shapes our fate – not to eliminate them, but to understand them. It is a space where experiences of creation in times of war and peace converge, and art becomes a means of discussing a world that cannot be captured in a single language.

Artists from Ukraine and Poland in a dialogue across borders

The Polish side is represented by artists of different generations, addressing a wide range of themes and artistic strategies. On the Ukrainian side, there are people whose work stems directly from the experience of war, including artists serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine or supporting the Ukrainian army in various ways. They are united by shared time but divided by everyday life: for Ukrainian artists, war is a reality, while for Polish artists, it is an indirect experience, present mainly in the sphere of consciousness.

The exhibition presents two parallel worlds and two distinct perspectives. The works of artists from Ukraine become a testimony and a record of the experience of a world that has lost its stability and normality. Polish artists, living in a safe reality, reflect on the situation from a distance, but also out of a sense of solidarity. “Different Places 2” demonstrates how significantly the context of life influences artistic practice – from themes, through forms, to the very possibility of creation.

War, peace, and changing interpretations of works of art

An important element of the project is the renewal of the relationship with the museum’s collection, which remains inaccessible due to the war. It is reintroduced in the exhibition as a visual allusion, symbolic reference, or artistic paraphrase. Documentary, processual, and reflective forms dominate – recordings, testimonies, and contemplations. There is less experimentation in form and greater reflection on loss, changes in the visual and sound landscape, and the fragility of artistic practice.

The exhibition “Різні місця” in Kyiv – second edition

• B 28 November 2025 – 1 March 2026

• Venue: National Art Museum of Ukraine, Kyiv

• The project participants include: Yevhen Arlov, Mirosław Bałka, Przemek Branas, Davyd Chychkan, Aneta Grzeszykowska, Barbara Gryka, Zhanna Kadyrova, Dmytro Kupryan, Yevhen Korshunov, Pavlo Kovach, Katarzyna Kozyra, Alexander Len, Aleksandra Liput, Jacek Malinowski, Violetta Oliinyk, Denys Pankratov, Karol Radziszewski, Max Robotov, Wilhelm Sasnal, Monika Sosnowska, SVITER art group (Max Robotov, Lera Polyanskova), Ivan Svitlichnyi

• Curatorial team: Oksana Barshynova, Waldemar Tatarczuk

• Curator of the public programme: Halyna Hleba

• Exhibition architecture: Oleksandr Burlaka

• Organised by: National Art Museum of Ukraine, Labirynt Gallery, Polish Institute in Kyiv, Adam Mickiewicz Institute;

• More information: namu.ua.