Large-scale exhibition marking 40th anniversary of Chornobyl disaster opens in Germany

On Saturday, April 11, at 12:00, the opening of the multimedia exhibition “Die Tschornobyl-Katastrophe: 40 Jahre her und dennoch sehr aktuell” took place at St. Nicholas Church (St. Nikolaikirche) in Potsdam, Germany.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by Amal Berlin Ukraine on its Facebook page.

The project, Nuclear Scar: Past, Present, Future, which brings together Ukrainian and international artists, aims to remind the world of the fragility of nuclear safety in the context of modern war.

The exhibition, organized by Ukrainian activists from the NGO PUSH-UA e.V. in cooperation with the Kyiv-based publishing house Portal, features several notable projects:

• International poster art: The “4th Block” Association of Graphic Designers (Kharkiv) presents the project Nuclear Scar: Past, Present, Future, showcasing works by artists from Mexico, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Japan.
• Book illustration: The Seri/graph studio (Anna Ivanenko and Zhenia Polosina) presents visual materials for the book Reactors Do Not Explode. A German translation of the book, recently published in Dresden, will also be presented
• Archival photography: The exhibition includes unique photographs by Viktor Marushchenko, who documented the aftermath of the disaster for 20 years. At the opening, the photographer’s son, Tore, will speak.
• Installation: Artist Irsha presents The Depth of Chornobyl, dedicated to the heroism of the liquidators.

Exhibition curator Olha Kovalevska emphasized that the project speaks to audiences through the universal language of art, uniting efforts from Ukraine and around the world. The organizers stress that today, the topic of Chornobyl is no longer just history.

“Russia continues to conceal archival documents about the disaster and, fearing historical truth, is playing a dangerous game by seizing nuclear power plants, turning them into a theater of war and a tool of nuclear blackmail. Today, 40 years after the accident, not only Ukraine but the entire world is held hostage by such behavior – damage or even deliberate destruction of nuclear facilities in combat zones poses an immeasurable risk to the entire planet,” the organizers emphasized.

The exhibition will run until April 27 at St. Nikolaikirche (Am Alten Markt, 14467 Potsdam).

As previously reported, three leading Ukrainian choirs in Canada will join forces to hold a memorial concert marking the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster. The event will take place on April 26 at St. Paul’s Basilica in Toronto.