On Thursday, March 12, 2026, Galerie Rudolfinum in Prague will host the public programme of the National Pavilion of Ukraine at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia – exhibiting the sculpture The Origami Deer (2019) by Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadyrova in front of the Rudolfinum building (more information here). We would also like to invite you to the accompanying events.

From 6 pm, you can look forward to a screening of a documentary short film IDP (dir. Zhanna Kadyrova, 2025, 28’28’’), which captures the sculpture’s evacuation from Pokrovsk, and further discussion with Zhanna Kadyrova and Leonid Marushchak.

The documentary film IDP tells the story of the evacuation of Zhanna Kadyrova’s sculpture The Origami Deer, created in 2019 for Yuvileyniy Park in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. On Friday, August 30, 2024, amidst the ongoing war, it was dismantled and relocated from the city. The film captures the dismantling process, eyewitness testimonies, and the symbolic significance of this event which took place during the forced evacuation of the local population. This is not just a story about a sculpture – it is a story of loss, displacement, and the effort to preserve cultural heritage in times of war.

At 7 pm, we will follow up with a conversation of a researcher, working on philosophy and visual culture Isabel Jacobs and co-curator of the Public Programme Ivanna Kozachenko on the topic of Morphological Materialism in the Soviet Union, with a focus on Ukrainian environments.

Both events will take place at Café Rudolfinum (entrance via the Rudolfinum Ceremony Hall). Admission is free. The programme will be held in English.

About the Artist

Zhanna Kadyrova is a Ukrainian artist whose practice focuses on the theme of Russian aggression against Ukraine. The artist is also known for her sculptures, installations and projects that explore urban spaces. She is a laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine in the field of visual arts (2025), winner of the first Her Art Prize, founded by Marie Claire France and Art Paris (2025), recipient of the PinchukArtCentre Prize (2013), and the Kazimir Malevich Prize (2012). She lives and works in Kyiv. Kadyrova presented her work to the Czech audience at Galerie Rudolfinum in the spring of 2024 at the exhibition UNEXPECTED.

Acknowledgements

The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Сulture of Ukraine, UNESCO and Sushko Philanthropy. In Prague, it will be held with the support of Galerie Rudolfinum, Café Rudolfinum and Tetiana Babchuk.

Media partners: Suspilne Kultura, Radio Kultura, Artslooker