In March, the War Childhood Museum Ukraine launched IMБALANCE, a contemporary art and documentation lab for high school students. This program invites teenagers to explore the intersection of contemporary art, history, memory, and the natural environment.
What’s WCM Ukraine’s Project IMБALANCE All About?
Through lectures and workshops with invited speakers, participants explore diverse artistic practices, from performance and video art to installations and more. They not only develop creative skills but also reflect on changes within themselves during adolescence and in the world around them.
During the lab, teenagers develop their own artistic expressions under the mentorship of Daria Molokoiedova, a multimedia artist from Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, whose work explores memory and childhood. Under her mentorship, teenagers experiment with materials, color, sound, and movement—transforming personal and collective experiences into artistic expressions. “I strive to build partnerships with children where trust, respect, humor, and dialogue are essential. Instead of directive teaching, I offer guidance, support, and an inspiring environment for growth and self-discovery.” — says Daria.
From Concept to Exhibition
The workshops and lectures are taking place from March to June 2025, once a week, at the Ukrainian-Danish Youth House in Kyiv.
Participants learn to apply artistic practices and gain insight into the full process of creating an artwork–from concept development to exhibition installation. Their final works will be showcased in a group exhibition in June 2025 in Kyiv.
WCM Ukraine Public Programmes
The IMБALANCE project is the second initiative under WCM Ukraine’s Public Programs. “We introduced a new dimension to the museum’s work in Ukraine: Public Programs. Our exploration of innovative ways to engage with memory and personal experiences led to the creation of the documentary performance Ozymi (“Winter Crops”)” — says Svitlana Osipchuk, Program Director of the War Childhood Museum Ukraine.
The project brought together ten young people, who worked with mentors to bring their wartime experiences to the stage, drawing from personal stories of evacuation, loss, family, friendships, and memories of peaceful childhoods interrupted. Ozymi has been performed five times so far.
Partners & Support
The WCM Ukraine’s IMБALANCE project is supported by the forumZFD Programme Office in Ukraine and the Ukrainian-Danish Youth House, in partnership with the Dovzhenko Center.
