The Biennale will be held at the Korsaks’ Museum of Ukrainian Modern Art and at 7 other locations in Lutsk.
The subject of the Main programme is “Polygon”
(in English – “Proving ground”).
Usually, the term “polygon” means a specially designated and equipped area of land or sea used to test weapons and military equipment or conduct the combat training of troops. At the same time, we often talk about a polygon as a place, object or subject that is used for testing something. After all, everything created by human needs to be tested, and everything that needs to be tested requires a polygon.
The test of strength requires a boxing ring, the test of team play requires a stadium, the test of a business idea requires consumers, the test of feelings requires a soulmate, the test of scientific inventions requires a laboratory, the test of art requires museums, the test of new treatment methods requires laboratory animals. Perhaps, the Earth is a polygon for the test of life by some extraterrestrial civilizations.
On the one hand, the role of polygons in the development of civilization is invaluable, while, on the other hand, polygons suffer without giving their consent: they are plowed with projectiles, trampled with boots, littered with waste, filled with frustrations, and destroyed during experiments.
There are many countries in the world that due to various circumstances (e.g., loss of subjectivity, geographical location, national characteristics) have become polygons for weapon and technology testing, sociopolitical experiments, etc. The tests are conducted by countries with stronger military, scientific or geopolitical potential.
There have been successful cases, such as South Korea, but there have also been Vietnam, North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and now – Ukraine.
This problem is constantly growing and escalating, so the following questions arise:
- Does anyone have the right to use someone as a polygon?
- How do polygons feel when they are used as an object, completely deprived of subjectness?
- What should one do to avoid becoming a polygon?
- What can all this lead to?
- Can society do without polygons?
You cannot be silent about this. That is why we propose to discuss this topic in the language of art within the Lutsk International Biennale, which will allow to bring this issue to the forefront and put it on the global agenda.