Patriotic exhibition removed from Kyiv art lyceum, memorial museum ordered to vacate premises

Dismantling of exhibition near entrance

The space near the main entrance to the Kyiv Taras Shevchenko Art Lyceum, which previously served as a small gallery, has been left empty. Until recently, it displayed children's drawings, students' original art projects, portraits of the poet, and patriotic slogans, including "Glory to Ukraine" and "Let us unite". Visitors immediately entered an atmosphere of creativity created by young people.

Following the change in administration, these works were dismantled. Acting director Alevtina Kahidze justified this action by stating that the previous exhibition was "tasteless". Journalists noted that the entrance zone now resembles a typical Soviet institution, yet the administration has not proposed a new design for the space. Kahidze did not explain her vision for the aesthetic appearance of the institution, which has been training artists for decades.

Threat to "Blockpost of Memory" museum

The situation is complicated by the presence of the "Blockpost of Memory" museum on the lyceum grounds. It was founded by serviceman and volunteer Pavlo Netiosov. Since 2014, it has preserved personal belongings of fallen Ukrainian defenders, frontline photographs, and documentation regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war. Some exhibits are housed in ammunition containers, and the design was created jointly with a serviceman-artist and lyceum students.

Netiosov notes that this is not a classical museum but a local exhibition that also functioned as a travelling show across the country. Its existence is currently in question. Representatives of the public organisation "Citadel" report that Alevtina Kahidze advocated for the removal of the exhibition from the institution's territory.

Demand to vacate premises

The museum founder says the new administration is not attempting to clarify the details of the situation but is demanding immediate vacating of the area. Pavlo Netiosov quotes the administration:

«Вони просто сказали звільнити приміщення. Написали листа на Міністерство культури з тим, що там якісь незрозумілі люди, там навіть назви нашої організації нема. Якісь предмети схожі на вибухонебезпечні і їм написали негайно звільнити» ("They simply said to vacate the premises. They wrote a letter to the Ministry of Culture stating that there are some unknown people there, not even the name of our organisation is there. Some items look like explosives and they were told to vacate immediately").

"Citadel" emphasises its readiness to continue cooperating with the lyceum, organising educational activities for students, and honouring the memory of the fallen.

Context of leadership change

Changes at the lyceum are causing outrage among those who contributed to its development for years. Olena Avramenko, who headed the institution for over 30 years (having studied there herself before that), recalls how graduates rejoiced over the new building and planted a birch alley. For her, every corner of the territory holds special significance.

Alevtina Kahidze, a well-known artist, was appointed as acting director without a competitive selection process. This procedure is legal under martial law conditions. According to the Ministry of Culture, competitions for leadership positions in art lyceums will only resume after the lifting of martial law.

Open questions

Currently, the institution bearing Shevchenko's name lacks images of the poet, patriotic inscriptions, and children's works, with nothing installed in their place. The museum, which has preserved the memory of the fallen for over a decade, has received a demand to vacate the premises. It remains unknown whether "Blockpost of Memory" will remain at the lyceum and what will appear in place of the dismantled exhibition.