Mary Lydon
Mary Lydon is a multidisciplinary artist from Ukraine, focuses on renovating abandoned buildings through painting walls, documenting them, and highlighting found artifacts on-site. Her projects capture the concepts of life, death, and rebirth, reflecting on the difficult realities of her native region and addressing the trauma of Russian occupation and forced escape. Lydon uses various mediums to create native yet progressive artworks that celebrate Ukrainian culture. She incorporates personal items like family photos corroded by bleach to depict the destructive effects of radiation on ordinary lives. Lydon's interest in graffiti led her to transform textured surfaces in various locations into art, naming the series 'Live Twice' as a metaphor for rebirth. She believes in experimentation and refuses to repeat herself. Inspired by Kyiv, she creates metalwork, including neo-tribal manhole covers and coats of arms that incorporate traditional designs with a modern twist. Lydon aims to protect and support Ukrainian visual culture, using native art forms, flags, and coats of arms to address the erosion of Ukrainian culture by Russia. She organized a print sale called 'Skarbnytsya' in Glasgow to support those affected by displacement and war
Luxuriant bloom and the strength of steel shield
2023,
Wall painting
Mary Lydon’s work investigates the generational effects of accumulated tragedies, ranging from the catastrophe in Chornobyl to the ongoing war, attempting to heal trauma caused by Russian occupation and forced escape. Over the years, the variety of media she uses has moved fluidly from complex constructions on the canvas to other tradition-laden techniques, such as engraving on metal and stitching on textiles, while always reflecting notions of nationality and cultural heritage. In addition, she has channeled her exploration of local communities and subcultures into experimentation with graffiti as an artistic medium. «National symbols are really powerful. They try to depict how proud a country is. For me that concept appeals visually», she comments. Her approach to national pride as well as to a progressive spirit led her to use the street as a venue of her artistic expression, at the same time that the Russian occupation poses a continuous threat to these spaces. For instance, abandoned buildings in Ukrainian cities, manhole covers in the streets or coats of arms became privileged sites of her practice. In this way, Lydon advocates for preserving Ukrainian visual culture and emphasizes the country’s determination to protect its heritage. (Yannick Fritz)
Augarten Contemporary, hoast, IG Architektur, Laurenz, Neuer Kunstverein Wien, Never At Home, Waffen Franz Kapfer, New Jörg, Ve.Sch
October 17–December 17
Main Exhibition
Curators: Serge Klymko, Hedwig Saxenhuber and Georg Schöllhammer