Expo Anna Kakhiani

Artist Anna Kakhiani

From Friday, July 12 to Sunday, July 21, 2024, WG Kunst will host the exhibition by Anna Kakhiani, interdisciplinary visual artist from Ukraine, entitled 'Embrace me with words, or maybe not - the language of (no) empathy'. In this exhibition she shows her new works.

Anna Kakhiani uses images and language to investigate the ambiguities surrounding empathy, language patterns and emotional and physical reactions to them. An exploration of inappropriate use of cheerful expressions such as 'Everything will be fine', 'Keep smiling' or 'Don't cry'. The project is a continuation of her artistic research from 2023, in the form of interviews with a wide audience and experiments with materials to create new installations, as well as panel discussions throughout the exhibition period.

Two years ago, Kakhiani was forced to move due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She focuses on the concept of empathy. From her new situation in the Netherlands, she saw how the concept of empathy is vague, problematic, provocative and always subjective. From 2023, Kakhiani will focus her research on collected repetitive expressions that are often used in situations where empathy is needed. She transforms these expressions into physical or media installations, using diverse, recognizable objects, images and materials associated with specific emotional or sensory experiences.

She makes works of art about empathy and language patterns. In her artistic expression, Kakhiani “describes” universally understandable experiences, creating a simple starting point for empathy. This approach appeals to the emotional intelligence of the viewers, making the superficial expressions recognizable to visitors.

OPENING: Friday, July 12 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

Exhibition period 13 to 21 July 2024

Open daily between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM (closed on Mondays)

This project is supported by the Dutch Literature Fund, the Support Fund for Ukrainian Makers, VATAHA, Platform for Ukrainian Art and Culture in NL