NATALIA ZABOLOTNA 43 BOND WOMEN VISION, STYLE AND DETERMINATION DRIVE REBIRTH AND APOCALYPSE IN CONTEMPORARY ART. Indifference is a great sin

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1 Natalia Zabolotna

2 BOND WOMEN NATALIA ZABOLOTNA 43 VISION, STYLE AND DETERMINATION DRIVE REBIRTH AND APOCALYPSE IN CONTEMPORARY ART Slender and elegant, Natalia Zabolotna's Slavic cheekbones and dazzling smile make a striking impression. The confidence and poise from her training as a lawyer and the ready, inquiring intelligence from her time as a journalist, that helped drive her vision for the first Kiev International Biennale, a huge cultural event which claims the Ukraine's place on the world's art map. The exhibition is a grand work with 99 artists in the m2 space, with leading artists from Ai Weiwei and Louise Bourgeois to AES+F and Jake & Dinos Chapman, not to mention the Ukrainian leaders of contemporary art Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, Oleg Kulik and Boris Mikhailov. They were all integrated by Artistic Director David Elliot, whose heroic efforts have made The Best Of Times, The Worst Of Times: Rebirth And Apocalypse In Contemporary Art an exhibition to experience and remember. Anatoliy Krivolap, oil on canvas, 2004 Indifference is a great sin Natalia cautions When I was young, I had a strong desire for a busy life, full of high demands and hard work. It's important to be careful with your dreams, though, because they may come true. The high demands and hard work all revolve around the demands of the Mystetskyi Arsenale.

3 Alexandra Zhumaylova-Dmitrovska, Curler,Miss baby Nr.5

4 BOND WOMEN 45 Natalia worked and campaigned for the resurrection of this massive ex-cossack fortress a spectacular showcase of brick-vaulted spaces and white stone columns to make a fitting venue for her Biennale vision. Art has the power to inspire and build bridges, and our goal is to bring Ukraine's artistic and cultural heritage to the world stage. This commitment is one of many reasons the Mystetskyi Arsenale has such a powerful ambassador in Natalia Zabolotna. This massive exhibition with over 250 pieces across two floors, has a scale commensurate with the vision. The title, from Charles Dickens, speaks of revolution and power, causes and effects a wellspring for many of the artworks commissioned and shown the exhibition reflects on how contemporary art needs the past to express the future, but also how the past has become like a prison whose walls must be broken down. A theme which reaches into people's memories and their hopes, the stories they tell and the plans they make. Some of the work included is overtly political, such as Vyacheslav Akhunov's Alley of Super Stars, but the people affected speak more clearly: Ilya & Emilia Kabakov's Monument to a Lost Civilization, Song Dong's Wisdom of the Poor, Erbossyn Meldibekov's Family Album and Oleksandr Chekmenev's Winners. The pieces which stay with me are personal including AES+F's Alegria Sacra, a disturbing video about waiting, loss and release; Song Dong's elaborate ode to his parents and their values; Alexandra Zhumaylova-Dmitrovska's murals in the small gallery; and much more. Art is both my work and my relaxation, Natalia explains. It gives me inspiration and the strength to go further with confidence and to scale new heights. I think that indifference is a great sin. It is an honour to be part of the beginning of this great art institution, and we are working hard to make it one of the most important museum complexes in Europe. We are building the museum of the future on the territory of the past. Before becoming the Director of the Mystetskyi Arsenale Museum, Natalia had founded Art Ukraine magazine. When I was a little girl, I used to sing aloud when I was alone, and I secretly dreamed of a singing career. However, in public I was extremely shy and afraid to open my mouth, blushing when I dared to say even one or two phrases. When I was 10, a friend asked my father why I was always blushing and when it would end. He answered, 'When she turns 25.' That seemed so very far in the future, but my dad was right: a creative volcano was boiling inside me and when I was 25, it began to erupt. Journalism put a stop to my shyness. Despite her hectic schedule, Natalia's family is the most important thing in her life. Our family is very spirited, she explains. Even though we are able to spend so little time all together, that time is usually very bright and lively. However, both my young children know that their mom is always at work, because 'she's building a museum'. Unfortunately, I don't have the opportunity to pay as much attention to them as they really need; I hope some day they will understand. My elder son said that his future profession will be 'Arsenale Director'. We joked that maybe in five years he would realize that being a Member of Parliament like his father is much more impressive. Be careful with your dreams because they may come true Since my work is so intense, I personally prefer calm rest. But as my husband was previously a successful sportsman, his passion for motorbikes, quad bikes, water- and alpine skiing and boats leaves no chance for me to lounge on the beach in summer, or to just read a book on a quiet winter's night, she laughs. Usually you dream of the things you don't have. For me, at the moment, it's calmness. I have a weakness for a one-hour nap on Sundays. Sometimes it's an unattainable luxury remaining alone for a full hour.

5 BOND WOMEN Alexandr Roitburd, Artodyssey, oil on canvas, Art has the power to inspire and build bridges. This place in the heart of old Kiev has always been an area of great importance, she says fondly. Originally a convent was located on the grounds of the main Arsenale building, which emerged at the end of the 18th century. Every brick of the Arsenale's walls is imbued with historical memory. 'One day you will understand that I built this, not as a fortress, but for people' the architect, Johann Meller, said. For Natalia, too, the job and art is all about people. Mystetskyi Arsenale continues to develop and meet ambitious goals because of the passionate people who work in its team, she says. She hopes this zeal will continue into philanthropy as well. In Florence, I understood that the Florence we know would never have existed had it not been for the Medici dynasty. It was the Medici family who supported the masters of the Renaissance; it was their passion for the arts and, possibly, their subjectivism in taste inherent in all powerful people that promoted the flourishing of the arts in the city. Being there, I thought how great it would be to have a similar Medici dynasty in Ukraine. Politics, rulers, commanders all of these people come and go: but those who create art and those who support, promote and collect it leave their mark. We are building the museum of the future on the territory of the past One of those people collecting art is Natalia herself. When I started 10 years ago, I was more drawn to the traditional, and my private collection contains good works by Ukrainian artists of the second half of the 20th century. But in the last seven years, I have become a passionate follower of Ukrainian contemporary art. My collection contains works of the best of the 'Ukrainian New Wave' artists of the 1990s, the generation of Arsen Savadov, Illya Chichkan and Oleksandr Roytburd. They are well-known in the world today: their works sold through Sotheby's, Phillips de Pury & Company and other top auction houses. Younger Ukrainian artists are now attracting more and more attention. The new generation is coming, new names that may soon be added to the list of contemporary art stars. To name just few examples: the groups R.E.P. and SOSka, sculptor Zhanna Kadyrova, Nikita Kadan with his rational but elegant conceptual work, and Oleksiy Say with his computergenerated paintings. Natalia Zabolotna and David Elliot have called forth in this first Kiev International Biennale of Contemporary Art the memories of the Ukraine's deeper history, bringing together East and West at this crossroads on the Silk Road, invoking the revitalisation of its long artistic and cultural traditions. Trade routes are not just rivers of goods and wealth, but also conduits for art and culture. Kiev sat for years astride one of the most important trade routes in the world and is stepping forward into this role again. Where will it go from here? New projects include an idea to bring the world's most famous masterpieces to Kiev, and another to create a museum that will present the entire history of Ukrainian art in one place. With such dynamic visions it is no surprise to discover that Natalia has no fear of failure. I am sure that any problem can be solved and any set back is temporary if you have your own strategy, and you are persistent and confident in what you do, she says. I often repeat two messages to myself: 'Do it now!' and 'Cheer up!' I never leave any business for tomorrow, and I try to make sure that all the people around me do the same. The key to success, however, lies in her most important rule. Never give up, says the elegant and committed Natalia Zabolotna. Do not let despair get in your way. Interview by MARYANA GREENBERG

6 Natalia Zabolotna