“Dia”—from the Greek meaning “through,” “across.” The End—the final word that concludes every filmstrip.
Bringing these two together, we arrive at “through the end”—an exploration of a phenomenon that has already come to an end.
A filmstrip is a sequence of slides united by a common theme into a single film, typically consisting of 20–50 frames. Filmstrips were widely used in the educational system of the USSR from the 1930s until the restoration of Ukraine’s independence. Their purpose was not only to assist teachers in the classroom and visualize learning material, but also to serve as a tool of Soviet propaganda.
The project is curated by Eva Holts, originally from Chernihiv, Ukraine.
On March 3, 2022, School No. 18, where she studied, was bombed by Russian forces. Only a year later did Eva find the courage to enter the building and walk through its half-destroyed corridors. Among the debris, she discovered numerous filmstrips, but soon realized that she could not process such a vast amount of material on her own. She therefore invited other Ukrainian artists to collaborate on the project.
These filmstrips were originally created as instruments of Soviet propaganda. Yet they outlived both the Soviet Union and the school that had been their longest home.
Now, the filmstrips have become part of contemporary artworks, their purpose radically transformed.
How exactly—can be seen in the works of 22 artists:
Polina Laptii
Olena Morozova
Mykola Hladkyi
Mariia Litovka
Zhenia Kogan
Vova Hryhorenko
Eva Holts
Andrii Kasianchuk
Inha Levi
Olena Kurzel
Olha Borysenko
Oleksandra Klod
Eva Alvor
Dmytro Hrytsiv
Katia Syta
Yehor Hushchyn
Anastasiia Leliuk
Maryna Levchenko
Serafyma Zhytnia
Hanna Shumska
Mariia Varlyhina
Vlad Tretiak