Our Projects are an Experiment

Featuring Gorsad Kiev Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski

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Gorsad Kiev is a contemporary art trio that consists of young creators who met during the years of studying, Victor Vasiliev, Maria Romanyuk, and Julian Romanyuk. The trio’s main theme of exploration is today’s youth through a prism of nostalgia. Provocative, brave, different though yet so familiar. Real people with their stories never told before find an outlet to reveal their shining personality in a variation that would never be possible unless for collaboration with the trio’s unique perspective. Youth is hugely about never-ending fun, a certain recklessness, and an absolute romanticism when anything is possible, and love is required.

Gorsad Kiev refers to shooting as a creation of a dialogue with people they meet in which the inner characteristics are exposed. The process is unpredictable yet satisfying as something genuine appears that leads to communication through the photo with a wider range of viewers, enabling additional opinions and perspectives on the realities and narratives at hand.

We discuss the trio’s work with kids and teenagers, the approach to art, the creative scene in Ukraine today, and a vision for the future.

‘The heroes of our works are often children and adolescents in their teens, our projects are an experiment, and illustrate the search for the character's.’

Hi guys, tell about the collective, your trio, and the strengths of each one of you or differences in your taste in art.

Gorsad is a trio of contemporary young artists from Kiev. The heroes of our works are often children and adolescents in their teens, our projects are an experiment, and illustrate the search for the character's own identity, the personal "I".

How and when did you decide to merge into a collective and work together?

As a team, we started working together in 2011, and we met when we studied at the same Art Institute.

Your works are provocative but also add cultural elements with the faces you choose to work with, the outdoors environmental elements, and the clothes. How would you describe your main ‘say’ in your works and the main goal to accomplish in the long run?

We don't set a goal of proving anything we just like to work with the segment of teenagers.

‘You need to find your approach, understand a person, understand how he lives, what he is interested in, and then you realize how to photograph or film him.’

You mostly work with real people, and at times those are kids. How hard or easy it is to work with kids or teenagers to get the result to aim for?

It’s easy and difficult at the same time for everyone. You need to find your approach, understand a person, understand how he lives, what he is interested in, and then you realize how to photograph or film him.

‘In Ukraine, there are very few opportunities for development, there’s practically no support, and everyone can only rely on their own strengths.’

The creative scene in Ukraine is developing at a rapid pace today, and more talents, designers, photographers appear with a social say in their works. Tell about Kiev from your perspective today.     

In fact, we have many talented photographers, designers, and artists, but in Ukraine, there are very few opportunities for development, there’s practically no support, and everyone can only rely on their own strengths. This is the reason that so many creatives find their realization abroad.

What music do you like? What’s the last song played on your phone?

As it comes to music, there are a lot of different things. The last band I listened to is Surf Gvng, an old school hip-hop, and to Russian Punk. The last track was by Sektor Gaza, The Fog.

What is each of you doing apart from mutual collaboration in Gorsad Kiev?

Mostly, all of our time is devoted to this project.

In one of your works, there is this kid with a scar across his face from the upper-brow to his lip. Do you communicate at a certain level with people you shoot and try to reveal their personal stories?  

Yes, we communicate with some people till this day, and this guy with a scar is now serving in the army in Eastern Ukraine.

You have several videos. Do you plan to shoot more in the future in this format? 

Yes, we plan on doing it, we constantly shoot video material.

What’s next?

The further we go, the more we'll do.