Poster of the "French Spring" festival in Ukraine
The sixteenth season of the festival, which continues until the end of April, brought together Ukrainian and French artists who held concerts, architectural walks, decorated shop windows, and created new street art objects in April. How the presidential elections affected the festival and where to find "little Paris" in Ukraine, Natali Beras, director of the French Institute in Ukraine, told in an interview with RFI.
– Before talking about "French Spring," I cannot help but ask you about Notre-Dame Cathedral. Shortly after the fire, French President Emmanuel Macron promised to gather the best architects for its restoration. In Ukraine, as you probably know, there are hundreds of destroyed and abandoned architectural monuments. Why does cultural heritage unite the French – both politicians and ordinary citizens – but not Ukrainians?
– The fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral and the reaction to it in France and around the world proves that a historical monument is not just an architectural structure or an art object; it is a manifestation of a country's identity, its uniqueness. Notre-Dame Cathedral is the identity of Paris and all French people. It is also a world cultural heritage. We saw how the world reacted to this event, how foreign states, including Ukraine, offered their help in restoring the cathedral.
Answering your question, I can say that masterpieces of monumental art can be key elements of national identity. That is why the French president immediately declared his intention to restore Notre-Dame. Because it is not just a cathedral, not just a monument; it is partly the soul of the French. If Ukraine has such historical monuments with the same symbolic meaning, perhaps the reaction of both politicians and ordinary Ukrainians would be the same as in France.
– "French Spring" is taking place during the presidential elections in Ukraine. How does this affect the festival?
– In general, what we do in the field of art does not intersect with politics. Whatever happens, we have our own program, which is the fruit of cooperation between Ukraine and France. The mayor of one of the Ukrainian cities where I opened "French Spring" this year shared an interesting thought with me. He said that in Ukraine you can always count on the "French Spring" festival, organized by the French Embassy and the French Institute. Because even in turbulent periods of history – for example, during the Maidan – "French Spring" always took place in Ukraine.
– The festival will last until April 30. What are its preliminary results and main successes so far?
– First, full houses. Second, this year we went to regions where "French Spring" had not been held before. For example, Chernivtsi. We also organized film screenings for the first time in Mykolaiv, Ternopil, and Vinnytsia. In this case, city councils or cultural institutions approached us. They sent applications for participation, we reviewed them and made a decision. This year, we also included new directions, areas of art that had not been represented at "French Spring" before. In previous seasons of the festival, we focused on music. This year, there are also many musical events – classical, jazz, contemporary music.
Among the new areas of art represented in the festival program, I can highlight design. French decorator Isabelle Daëron, together with Ukrainian artist Daria Aleshkina, created new shop windows for the store "Vse Svoi" on Khreshchatyk. This project was implemented as part of "French Spring." We also included street art in the festival program. In Lviv, French street artist Marko93 will create a huge graffiti, and artist GoddoG is painting the walls of one of Kyiv's schools.
– "French Spring" is a festival of cooperation between Ukrainian and French artists. The opening of the festival on Sophia Square in Kyiv always attracts a lot of attention. Last year, the preparation of the performance "Air" was handled by Vlad Troitsky and a French team; this year, a performance by the French troupe Transe Express was presented on Sophia Square. Why did you abandon co-production this time?
– The co-production "Air" in 2018, which you mentioned, as well as the performance "I am a Dream" in 2015, require serious work and preparation. Given the number of people we have, we cannot do such projects every year. We prefer to prepare such co-productions every two to three years, do them well, and create works of art. Therefore, in the remaining time, we show French performances at the festival opening. I won't reveal all the cards, but I will say that we are planning a Franco-Ukrainian co-production for 2021.
– In Lviv and Odesa, as part of the festival, you organized French architectural walks. Is the presence of France in these cities so noticeable? Does their architecture remind you of France?
– Yes, the presence of France in Ukrainian architecture is undeniable. When you go to Odesa, Lviv, or, for example, Kyiv – where near the Taras Shevchenko National University there is its own "Latin Quarter," which the French call so because of its resemblance to the Parisian one – you understand this well. Ukraine has preserved buildings constructed by French architects in the 18th and 19th centuries. The fact is that at that time Empress Catherine II invited French architects to build cities in the Russian Empire. Thus, France left its mark on Ukrainian architecture. This includes, for example, the Langeron Arch, located on the site of the dacha of Count Alexander Langeron. It is also worth remembering the architect Frédéric Coquelin, who was close to the imperial court and worked in Odesa.
In Lviv, for example, there is a whole neighborhood sometimes called "little Paris": its architecture resembles the French capital. Our strategy is to show that Ukraine and Ukrainian cities have a rich architectural and artistic heritage that will allow us to develop tourism and attract, in particular, French tourists. So we plan to organize architectural walks in the next seasons of "French Spring" and offer tourists new routes in other cities of Ukraine.
– You became director of the French Institute in Ukraine not long ago. Before that, you worked at the French embassy in Russia and also headed the department of Russian art at Sotheby's. What are your impressions of Ukraine? Has the country lived up to your expectations?
– Yes, absolutely. I have been here only six months. My first impressions are amazing. The cities I have visited, particularly Kyiv, have many merits; the architecture is beautiful. Moreover, Kyiv is an incredibly hospitable city with a pleasant atmosphere created not so much by the architecture as by the local residents.
– You are not only a diplomat but also an artist. During your time in Ukraine, have you already drawn anything?
– In addition to my work as director of the French Institute and cultural and cooperation advisor to the French ambassador, I continue my creative activity. On Ukrainian themes, if that was your question, I don't have any paintings yet. But I continue to paint my series of paintings called "Islands." The fact is that I am an "island" person; I was born in Martinique, lived in Tahiti and many other islands. We just said that Notre-Dame de Paris is part of French identity; well, islands are part of mine. So for several years now I have been painting the Marquesas Islands, and now I have started painting Ukrainian ones.
– How are these paintings different? What do you see as a Ukrainian island?
– They differ in color. French artist Sonia Delaunay, who was born in Ukraine and lived here very little, said that when remembering her homeland, she imagines the bright colors of her childhood. I can say that in my work I am also inspired by colors and their various variations.