WATERFALL     International Northern Irish sculptors Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels have created an interactive waterfall sculpture for Mystetskyi Arsenal, the National Museum of Art and Culture in Kiev, Ukraine. The project is a memorial to the tragic loss of over 10,500 lives since 2014 during the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine. This is a subject that Jamison and Revels feel very passionate about, recognising how such devastation is often ignored by global press, world leaders and sometimes even distancing or denial by some within the region. Visitors are encouraged to roll a vibrant sheet of yellow paper and insert the scroll into the wire structure of the installation. As it progresses, the room becomes filled with an ocean of yellow shapes radiating outwards. It is a mass-collaboration whereby the people of Ukraine can share in the ownership of the artwork. Jamison states that “the intention of the Waterfall sculpture is to create a warm feminine honeycomb effect with a sense of fluid movement. This is in contrast to traditional war memorials which are often very hard, dark, masculine and sombre. The brightness of the yellow brings an optimism like sunshine. It can symbolise the shinning spirits of all those who have died in conflict. The idea is that the lives lost may continue like a ‘river of souls’, flowing into the future through another realm...” In 1991, in the aftermath of the coup in Moscow, the Ukrainian parliament voted for Ukraine’s independence which was later confirmed by a national referendum. In early 2014, a revolution saw Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych ousted from office. He had directed Ukraine towards closer integration with Russia. Two major reactions occurred to this revolution in a simultaneous timeframe. Firstly, the Crimean peninsula was annexed from Ukraine by the Russian Federation during February to March 2014. Secondly, Russian-backed separatists in the Donbass region of Eastern Ukraine broke out into war against the new Ukrainian government and its armed forces. The Europe-leaning President Petro Poroshenko was elected on 25 May 2014 and is the current head of state. Tragically, four and a half years on, Eastern Ukraine remains in conflict to this day. Despite many efforts to create a sustained ceasefire on the front line, causalities continue to flood in on a daily basis. 1.4 million citizens have been internally displaced with a further 0.9 million relocating to other countries. Despite this major conflict 200km to its east, the city of Kiev is a thriving cultural metropolis, bursting with creativity. Established in 2003, the Art Arsenal is not only the largest museum in the country but also one of the biggest in Europe. Visitors enjoy the eight metre high vaulted ceilings and it spans a total of 60,000 square metres. The building is an architectural monument of national importance, erected from 1783-1801 by Lieutenant-General Ivan Meller for the needs of the Kiev garrison. Revels states that "it seems fitting that the Arsenal building started life as a military factory, and now, 217 years later, the 'Waterfall' sculpture transforms the vast chambers into an interactive memorial to the tragic loss of soldiers and civilians. Through our own experience growing up during the 30 year conflict in Northern Ireland, this is a subject close to our hearts. We hope the exhibition attracts a broad audience and the artwork is warmly welcomed by the people of Ukraine."   Information for visitors: 'Waterfall' was on display at Mystetskyi Arsenal as part of the 2018 'Arsenal of Ideas' interactive exhibition, an annual festival that attracts over 12,000 visitors a year. The museum was open for 5 days from Wednesday 26 to Sunday 30 September 2018. Please note the exhibition has now closed. The mission of Mystetskyi Arsenal is to contribute to the modernisation of Ukrainian society and Ukraine's integration into the world context, building on the cultural value potential.  Address: Mystetskyi Arsenal, 10-12 Lavrska Street, Kyiv, Ukriane, 01010

 

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Volodymyr Shuvayev for Mystetskyi Arsenal

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mark Radionov for Jamison Sculpture Studio

Saturday 29 September 2018

Brendan Jamison describes the symbolism of the sculpture

to the First Lady of Ukraine, Marina Poroshenko, as she admires the installation

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mystetskyi Arsenal

Saturday 29 September 2018

Left to right: Mark Revels (sculptor), Marina Poroshenko (The First Lady of Ukraine),

Brendan Jamison (sculptor) and Svetlana (Head of Education) standing in front of the installation

Waterfall (2018) Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels

Paper and wire, 550 x 1200 x 1000 cm

Photography: © Mystetskyi Arsenal

Saturday 22 September 2018

Sculptor Mark Revels attaching rolls of yellow paper into the wire structure

during the construction of the waterfall installation

Photography: © Yegor Antonov for Mystetskyi Arsenal

Saturday 22 September 2018

Sculptor Mark Revels preparing to roll sheets of yellow paper

during the construction of the waterfall installation

Photography: © Yegor Antonov for Mystetskyi Arsenal

Saturday 22 September 2018

Sculptor Mark Revels preparing to roll sheets of yellow paper

during the construction of the waterfall installation

Photography: © Yegor Antonov for Mystetskyi Arsenal

Entrance to Mystetskyi Arsenal, 10-12 Lavrska Street, Kyiv, Ukriane, 01010

 

PRESS

 

Sunday 30 September 2018

UATV's Tamara Rozvan interviews 11 year old boy

about his reaction to the Waterfall sculpture

UATV's Tamara Rozvan interviews school teacher

about her reaction to the Waterfall sculpture

UATV's Tamara Rozvan interviews sculptor Mark Revels

UATV's Tamara Rozvan interviews sculptor Brendan Jamison

 

 

Sunday 30 September 2018

1+1 international journalist Alex Kleimenov (middle)

with Mark Revels (left) and Brendan Jamison (right)

 

 

Saturday 29 September 2018

The First Lady of Ukraine, Marina Poroshenko, peers through the

Waterfall sculpture as she opened the 'Arsenal of Ideas' exhibition in Kyiv, Ukraine

© TVerezo

 

 

 

Thursday 27 September 2018, p. 26

 

Brendan Jamison from Bangor and his sculpture partner Mark Revels

Photography: © Tony Corey for Jamison Sculpture Studio

 

 

Wednesday 26 September 2018

 

 

Wednesday 26 September 2018

Curator Nina Ivanovska is interviewed by Katerine May from Inter TV Channel

Katerine May from Inter TV Channel interviews

Brendan Jamison (far left) and Mark Revels (far right)

Mark Revels (left) and Brendan Jamison (right)

on Inter TV Channel in Ukraine

 

 

 

Wednesday 26 September 2018, p. 17

 

 

Brendan Jamison and Mark Revels express their sincere gratitude

to all the wonderful staff and volunteers at Mystetskyi Arsenal

 

CURATORS / MANAGERS

 

Nina Ivanovska Curator + Education Manager	Svitlana Tsurkan Head of Education	Marina Kaftan Projects and Programs Manager
Olga Viieru Head of Art Arsenal Foundation	Sergey Diptan Architecture Manager	Dmitriy Babenko Public Relations Manager

 

SCULPTURE TEAM

 

Alyona Vvedenskaya	Vira Hyrych	Katherine Bova
Anna Kadkalo	Natalia Ivanova	Katyusha Zudenkova
Milena Khomchenko	Elena Mix	Neila Hryshenko
Alice Batiuk	Yegor Antonov	Olia Zabeida