About Us
THE PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE GROUP ARE (since 2019):
Yuriy Biley (based in Wroclaw / Berlin), Pavlo Kovach (based in Lviv), Anton Varga (based in New York).
The basic structure of Open Group also involve people for a period of time until a project, in which they are taking part, is running.
Group’s work is based on research of the interaction and communication between people, artists, situation and space. Also artistic practice is based on the study of the concept of «collective work».
Group members have been running independent art spaces, such as Detenpyla Gallery or Еfremova26 Gallery (2013-2014) in Lviv, since 2011.
Open Group won the Special Distinction of the PinchukArtCentre Prize in 2013, and the Main Prize in 2015. Their works were featured at the Ukrainian National Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale. In 2016, the Open Group curated the show entitled Dependence Degree, Collective Practices of Young Ukrainian Artists 2000- 2016 (Wrocław, Poland). In 2017, the group’s work was presented in frames of the Future Generation Art Prize@Venice 2017 (collateral events of the 57th Venice Biennale). In 2019, the Open Group was the curator of the National Pavilion of Ukraine at the 58th La Biennale di Venezia.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2023 Open Group: We Were Somewhere Among You, HB Station, Guangzhou, Сhina.
2022 Repeat After Me, Labirynt gallery, Lublin, Poland.
2022 Repeat After Me by Open Group, Theater of Hopes and Expectations, Düsseldorf, Germany.
2020 Biography, with support of Galeria Labirynt, Lublin, Poland.
2017 Open Group. Due to the circumstances, Аrsenal gallery, Białystok, Poland.
2016 The same places, Korydor gallery, Uzhhorod.
2015 1000-km View. Part I, The School of Kyiv – Kyiv Biennial 2015, Closer art centre, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2014 Ars longa, vita brevis / documentation, Dzyga gallery, Lviv, Ukraine.
2014 Biography, PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2014 Where is my gallery?, Karlin Studio, Praha, Czech Republic.
2013 Place, Closer art centre, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2013 Between us, Bottega gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & FESTIVALS:
2023 (upcoming) Talking about Myself? Talking about You, Voloshyn Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2023 (upcoming) When the Inconceivable Takes Form, Cite International des arts, Paris, France.
2023 (upcoming) Autostrada Biennale, Prizren, Kosovo.
2023 Unexpected Care, Institute of Contemporary Art – Sofia, Bulgaria.
2023 Kaleidoscope of (Hi)stories. Ukrainian Art 1912–2023, Salzgasse Albertinum, Dresden, Germany.
2023 Camera Obscura, Voloshyn Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2023 SOLIDARITY PROJECT, in The Naked Room, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2023 SONYA Art for Ukrainian AID, Los Angeles, USA.
2023 ARS AEVI NUCLEUS KYIV, ARS AEVI the Museum of contemporary art in Sarajevo.
2023 Fruits of Wrath – Attempt at comprehension: Ukraine, Haus am Lützowplatz, Berlin, Germany.
2022 "Stolen Sun", Miguel Abreu gallery, New York, USA.
2021 Ukraine. A different angle on neighbourhood, International Cultural Centre, Kraków, Poland.
2021 Pizza Piennale, art space "The always fresh", New York, USA.
2021 Daddy, Helmet's pressing. Contemporary art from NAMU's collection, National Art Museum, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2020 Contexts Festival, Sokołowsko, Poland.
2019 Let’s Talk About Modernity, Jam Factory Art Center, Lviv, Ukraine.
2019 Ukrainian Cross-Section. Rituals of Transition, Lviv, Ukraine.
2019 Niefestiwal City and Art, ŁAŹNIA Center for Contemporary Art, Gdańsk, Poland.
2019 Dear Aeneas. Contemporary artists alone with the past, Ermilov Center, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2018 Somewhere now, Labirynt gallery, Lublin, Poland.
2018 Prostir Pokordonnya, XXI Land Art Festival, Mogrytsya, Sumy region, Ukraine.
2018 Permanent Revolution, Ludwig Museum, Budapest, Hungary.
2017 Attention! Border, Аrsenal gallery, Białystok, and Labirynt gallery, Lublin, Poland.
2017 Future Generation Art Prize @ Venice 2017, 57th Venice International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia.
2017 Future Generation Art Prize shortlist exhibition, PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2016 NONSTOPMEDIA 8, Kharkov Municipal Gallery, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2016 Revision, Gary Bowman Gallery, Lviv, Ukraine.
2016 Imagination. Reality, National Art Museum of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2016 Indentity. Behind the curtain of uncertainty, National Art Museum of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2015 PinchukArtCentre Prize shortlist exhibition, PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2015 Pavshyno Kunstverein, Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe, Germany.
2015 Air sn Zuiddoost, CBK Zuidoost, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
2015 Dispossession, organizer Wrocław European Capital of Culture 2016, an official event on the 56 Venice Biennale.
2015 36 shots in the form of bright blue balloons that open up in the skies into splendid green-violet peonies, art center Ya Gallery in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine.
2014 Zahoplennya, Izolyatsia Foundation, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2014 VI long-term project, Temporary exhibition, Korydor gallery, Uzhhorod, Ukraine.
2014 If only flies saw the show, does it mean that it actually happened?, Another Vacant Space, Berlin, Germany.
2013 Pinchuk Art Centre Prize shortlist exhibition, PinchukArtCentre, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2012 Contemporary Art Week, Lviv, Ukraine.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
2017 Jana, Shostak: Total Viewer, Notes na 6 tygodni, Issue #114, November, Warsaw, Poland p.118-129.
2017 Waldemar, Tatarczuk: Open Group. Due to Circumstances, at the Arsenal Gallery in Białystok, Magazine Szum, Warsaw, Poland.
2017 Valeriya, Lukyanecz & Kateryna, Nosko: ‘Where is the curatorial, IST Publishing, Kyiv, Ukraine, p. 18-38.
2017 Bjorn, Geldhof & Anna, Smolak: "Future Generation Art Prize @ Venice 2017", 57th Venice International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, Italy, p. 22-23 (exhibition catalogue).
2016 Indentity. Behind the curtain of uncertainty, Latvian Center for Contemporary Art, p. 112-113 (exhibition catalogue).
2016 Protocollum, Global Perspectives on Visual Vocabulary 2015/16, Berlin, Germany, p.275-277.
2016 Ukrainian Cross-Section, Wrocław European Capital of Culture 2016, Wroclaw, Poland, p.92-95 (exhibition catalogue).
2016 Daria, Skok: Group of dependence of the antisystem. Dependence degreein gallery Awangarda, BWA, Magazine Szum, Warsaw, Poland.
2015 Bjorn, Geldhof: Hope!, Ukraine National Pavilion at the 56 th International Art Exhibition in Venice - La Biennale di Venezia, Italy, p. 22-23 (exhibition catalogue).
2015 Deys of Performance art in Lviv 2008-2014, lviv, Ukraine, p. 142-143 (exhibition catalogue).
PUBLICATIONS:
2019 The Shadow of Dream* cast upon Giardini della Biennale, Pavilion of Ukraine at the 58th International Art Exhibition in Venice, © Open Group 2019, Kyiv, Ukraine 4000 copies.
2016 Open Group: Dependence Degree, Collective Practices of Young Ukrainian Artists
2000-2016, © Biuro Festiwalowe Impart 2016, Wrocław, Poland, ISBN: 978-83-946924-8-3, 500 copies.
CURATORIAL PROJECTS:
2019 Just do not tell Slava yet, Museum of Contemporary Art, Kherson, Ukraine.
2016 Dependence Degree, Collective Practices of Young Ukrainian Artists 2000-2016, European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016, Awangarda gallery BWA Wrocław, Poland.
2013 One of the N*, Detenpyla gallery, Lviv, Ukraine.
AWARDS:
2020 Special Mention "Allegro Prize", Warsaw, Poland.
2015 Awarded with the MainPrize PinchukArtCentre Prize, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2013 Awarded with the first Special Prize Pinchuk Art Centre, Kyiv, Ukraine.
RESIDENCIES:
2020 Residency Meet the Neighbours. With support of Galeria Labirynt, Lublin, Poland.
2018 Katowice Street Art AiR, Katowice, Poland.
2017 FACE Residency, Lavra gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2015 OPEN ATELIERS ZO artist in residence, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
2014 Futura, Karlin Studio, Praha, Czech Republic.
2012 Granny Hall, Samiylychi, Volyn region, Ukraine.
SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THE PARTICIPANTS:
YURIY BILEY, (b. 1988, UA)
In 2011 graduated from the National Academy of Arts in Lviv.
Since 2015 he lives and works in Wroclaw (Poland). Visual artist and curator.
Awards:
2022 Audience Choice Award "Allegro Prize", Warsaw, Poland.
2022 Award "WARTO 2022", in the category Visual arts, Wrocław, Poland.
2019 Special award ''Jam Factory banner art'', Lviv, Ukraine.
Other activities:
2019 Co-creator of the independent exhibition space NEW GOLDEN
(previously GOLDEN KIOSK), Wrocław, Poland.
2013-2014 Co-founder of Efremova26 Gallery, Lviv, Ukraine.
2011 Co-founder of Detenpyla Gallery, Lviv, Ukraine.
ANTON VARGA, (b. 1989, UA)
Lives and works in New York, USA and Lviv, Ukraine. From 2018 studying in City University of New York, Hunter College.
2006-2010 studied in Transcarpathian Art Institute, Graphics Design department, Ukraine.
2010-2012 studied in Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts, Ukraine.
Residencies:
2015 Scholarship from Minister of Culture of Poland "Gaude Polonia".
2014 Residency HYRKA 4a, Verhne Sinevidne, Lviv region, Ukraine.
2012 Granny Hall, Samiylychi, Volyn region, Ukraine.
PAVLO KOVACH, (b. 1987, UA)
Lives and works in Lviv, Ukraine. 2003-2005 studied in Uzhgorod College of Arts, named after А.Erdeli, Ukraine.
2005-2011 studied in Lviv National Academy of Arts, Ukraine.
Residencies:
2018 Scholarship from Minister of Culture of Poland "Gaude Polonia" (curator Miroslaw Balka).
2012 Scholarship from Minister of Culture of Poland "Gaude Polonia" (curator Janush Balduga).
Awards:
2018 Festival IN-OUT, Gdańsk, Poland (second placе).
2012 The winner of the competition for young Ukrainian artists MUHI-2012 (2nd place).
Other activities:
2013 Co-founder of Efremova26 Gallery, Lviv, Ukraine.
2011 Co-founder of Detenpyla Gallery, Lviv, Ukraine.