Sophia of Kyiv. North tower interior 1991

Curator: This is "Sophia of Kyiv. North tower interior", painted in 1991 by Yuriy Khymych. The piece utilizes oil paint to depict the interior of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, specifically focusing on a tower staircase and the ancient Byzantine frescoes adorning the walls and ceiling. Editor: My initial impression is a sense of quiet reverence, almost melancholy. The color palette is muted, dominated by creams, greys, and faded yellows. It gives a feeling of age and enduring history, but perhaps also of something lost or fading. Curator: The choice of oil paint lends itself well to conveying that layered historical narrative. Khymych captures not only the architectural space, but also hints at the centuries of socio-political events that shaped both the cathedral and Ukrainian identity. Byzantine art always demands an engagement with the past but it is inevitably reshaped as a visual vernacular by contemporary forces. Editor: I agree. The stylized figures within the fresco fragments evoke the religious and cultural origins of the space. What do you think about the gendered aspects within this artistic context? Cathedrals in many cultures served roles where the participation of different people was rigidly set and religious structures always reflect hierarchies, power dynamics and questions about authority. Curator: Absolutely. By emphasizing these fragmented representations of a historically rigid Byzantine structure, Khymych inadvertently points toward conversations on power, accessibility, and representation that intersect with gender, class and politics. These structures are often seen as spaces of spiritual transcendence, but who could transcend within them and whose experience was deemed most important? Editor: And the very act of selecting and representing this interior—of pulling it into a contemporary visual dialogue— becomes a politically charged action. I am particularly intrigued by Khymych's almost ghostly rendering, that feels particularly current, when there's such a sense of instability and danger of further cultural destruction. Curator: A very insightful reading, because focusing our gaze on that layered history urges questions about preservation, erasure, and, fundamentally, who controls the narrative. In my opinion this act becomes one of artistic activism to protect a cultural heritage. Editor: Indeed. Reflecting on this work through our specific lenses opens new considerations on history, symbolism, the enduring role of institutions. Curator: And on art's ability to engage actively in the ongoing dialogue about social identity and power, I have no doubt about that.