PinchukArtCentre

PinchukArtCentre is a private contemporary art centre located in Kyiv, Ukraine. Inaugurated on 16 September 2006, it holds the distinction of being the first privately financed museum and the largest private museum in the territory of the former Soviet Union. Founded by steel billionaire and philanthropist Victor Pinchuk, the institution operates as a project of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. Its primary mission is to exhibit new artistic production and collect national and international contemporary art, with a particular focus on modernizing the Ukrainian art sector and fostering a new generation of creators. Through its international collection, temporary exhibitions, education programs, publications, and scholarly research, the centre serves as an open platform for artists and society, intertwining new artistic production with national identity and international discourse. Admission to the museum is free.

The centre was established in 2006 by Victor Pinchuk, an industrialist originally from Dnipro, and operated under the directorship of Eckhard Schneider from October 2008 until 2015, when Belgian curator Bjorn Geldhof succeeded him. PinchukArtCentre quickly assumed a prominent role in international art, officially organizing the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 52nd and 53rd Venice Biennales in 2007 and 2009, and presenting a collateral event for the Future Generation Art Prize at the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011. In late 2008, the centre announced the PinchukArtCentre Prize, the first national prize for artists up to 35 years old, with the inaugural main prize awarded to Artem Volokitin in 2009, followed by Mykyta Kadan in 2011. In December 2009, the Victor Pinchuk Foundation announced the creation of the Future Generation Art Prize, a large-scale international competition for artists under 35, with Brazilian artist Cinthia Marcelle winning the main prize and Romanian artist Mircea Nicolae winning the special prize in 2010. In October 2011, the centre launched a Curatorial Platform, a two-year residency program for Ukrainians under 30, selecting five participants from over 130 applicants to begin in January 2012. By February 2012, total visitor numbers had surpassed 1,475,000. In late 2019, the centre faced public controversy after mediators who joined a trade union had their contracts terminated, leading to protests and artist boycotts of the 2020 prize. Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the institution suspended activities for 143 days, reopening on 17 July 2022. During the war, it partnered with state and media organizations to develop the documentary project Russian War Crimes, exhibiting photographs and testimonies of alleged war crimes in Kyiv and abroad to raise international awareness.

The collection of the PinchukArtCentre focuses on contemporary art of the 21st century, specifically highlighting Ukrainian art from the 1980s onward alongside international works. The institution defines its profile through the dynamic intersection of new production, presentation, and collection, reflecting the complexity of the modern world. Its collection platform, introduced with an exhibition titled Platform Collection: Circulation in February 2011, is renewed twice a year and represents both established and emerging international and Ukrainian contemporary artists. The centre has showcased acquisitions by prominent figures such as Serhiy Bratkov, Antony Gormley, Andreas Gursky, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, and Takashi Murakami, while also providing a dedicated platform for emerging talents through its prize exhibitions and special series for young artists.

While the permanent collection rotates, the centre has exhibited and acquired significant works by major contemporary figures. Notable presentations have drawn from the collections of Sir Elton John and Julia Stoschek, as well as the centre's own acquisitions. Key international artists featured in the collection and exhibitions include Andreas Gursky, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Antony Gormley, and Olafur Eliasson. The institution has also hosted major solo exhibitions by artists such as Vik Muniz, Mariko Mori, Paul McCartney, Sam Taylor-Wood, Subodh Gupta, Candice Breitz, and Damian Ortega, alongside a major retrospective of Damien Hirst titled REQUIEM. Ukrainian and regional art is heavily represented through group exhibitions like Red Forest and Generations.UsA, as well as solo projects by artists like Serhiy Bratkov, and collaborative works such as the LGBTI-focused project Patriots. Citizens. Lovers... by Carlos Motta. In 2019, Lithuanian artist and filmmaker Emilija Skarnulyte was awarded the Future Generation Art Prize.

The PinchukArtCentre is situated in a historic architectural complex in Kyiv that underwent significant renovation at the beginning of the 21st century. Located at Bessarabska Square, the building's exterior and interior architectural design was developed by French architect Philippe Chiambaretta. The interior spans six floors, with exhibition spaces distributed across four floors, alongside a video-lounge and a cafe on the top floor. The total exhibition area encompasses more than 3,000 square meters according to some sources, while others specify over 4,000 square meters. Since its opening, the venue has recorded over three million visitors.

The PinchukArtCentre is located in Kyiv, Ukraine, and operates with visitor-friendly policies, including free admission and convenient viewing hours from 12:00 to 21:00. These accessible practices have made it a favored destination for young Ukrainians, local residents, and international visitors. Following the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the centre reopened its doors to the public on 17 July 2022 with the large group exhibition When Faith Moves Mountains. Organized in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp and the Flemish Government, the exhibition featured more than 45 international and Ukrainian artists, reinforcing Ukraine's cultural ties with Europe and addressing the social and emotional impact of the conflict. The centre continues to function as a vital platform for Ukrainian artists responding to the war.