Ukraine Embassy Urges Antwerp to Cancel Russian Artist's Museum Night Performance

The Ukrainian embassy in Belgium has formally requested the city of Antwerp to remove Russian artist Daria Patrikeeva from the program of its upcoming Museum Night. Patrikeeva was scheduled to perform her dance piece 'Narcissist' in the Sint-Jacobskerk, but the embassy cites her alleged connections to Russian power structures and her failure to condemn the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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She represents an aggressor state.

Antwerp had advertised Patrikeeva's performance, describing it as a symbolic dialogue with Peter Paul Rubens, featuring the artist moving through space with a portable wing sculpture. Her work, along with other pieces, was part of the 'Of Concealment and Revelation' exhibition within the Sint-Jacobskerk as part of the annual Museum Night initiative.

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In a time when Ukraine must defend itself daily against Russia's large-scale military aggression, while Ukrainian citizens continue to die and cultural heritage in Ukrainian cities is destroyed daily, the participation of an artist originating from the aggressor state raises ethical and societal questions, to say the least.

The embassy's appeal highlights the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine, noting recent casualties, including children. They argue that in a time of intense military aggression and civilian deaths, the participation of an artist from the "aggressor state" raises significant ethical and societal questions. Public cultural institutions, they contend, play a vital role in upholding democratic values and international law, and they hope Museum Night will act responsibly.

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Public cultural institutions play an important role in upholding the values of a democracy and respect for international law. We therefore hope that Museum Night will take responsibility.

Furthermore, the embassy points out the disparity in opportunities, stating that thousands of Ukrainian artists are currently unable to participate in cultural life. Many are fighting in the war, are prohibited from leaving the country, or have lost their lives. The embassy finds it ethically unjustifiable for Russian artists to have access to international events like Museum Night when Ukrainian artists face such severe limitations.

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Thousands of Ukrainian artists currently often cannot even participate in international cultural life. Many are fighting in the war, [are prohibited from leaving the country] or have lost their lives.