Zoia’s ark: 15 artists, 11 forms of arts boarded the historical peniche in paris

The idea of this flash-exhibition Zoia’s Ark is to bring together samples of great art from 9 countries to the symbolic Parisian boat to save it from the world-engulfing flood of disasters, war, indifference, and toxic political battles.

In the world of bad news, abnormal heatwave, Omicron, a war in Ukraine, news of the crash of Bitcoin and global Stock Markets, artist need a Noah–and the Ark to be safe. 

The contemporary ‘Noah’ who is a  creator and curator of this exhibition is the Ukrainian artist and instigator of art group Zoia’s Circle  Zoia Skoropadenko. 

“When I’ve got invited to exhibit on a boat, it was in time of Art Paris Fair. It was an incredibly brutal rainy weather.  I was literally “swimming” around Paris in a rubber boots with all negative  unhappy news falling from left and right. And it striked me that peniche was the place where I could collect the art pieces from my colleagues of different artistic disciplines from all around the world and to do a unique show to preserve the diversity and uniqueness of each art practice from classical drawings till Augmenter reality Art. Life is so full of negativity today that we needed to board the boat in Paris to create a small positive world with great impact on society even if it is for a couple days”- says Skoropadenko.

On one of Paris iconic river boat so called “peniche,”  were exhibited such different types of art as Augmented reality, Painting, Sculpture,  Drawings, Ceramic, Photography, 3D and Lenticular art, Printmaking, Street Art and even a brilliant example of hat-making by Meilleur ouvrier of France, Japanese-French milliner  Nobuki Hisume.

The Peniche is situated in Saint Cloud, the Parisian billionaire quarter famous for its rich villas, next to the luxurious Bois de Boulogne park in a chic 16th arrondissement.

This peaceful place contrasts with the circumstances of Olesya Dzhurayeva’s todays life. The graphic artist and a master of linocuts from Kyiv, she is still remaining in Ukraine despite of war. Her art was definitely in need of shelter on the ark.

"At first I was skeptical about attendance of the exhibition as the boat is based far away from central Paris on a shore of river Seine in rather office area, but the news about the amazing exhibition widespread very fast and we were full everyday till the last hour of the exhibition. Some visitors came twice, bringing more people. This was a great surprise for us, but then it was a wonderful unusual space and the selection of artists as well as curatorial work made it of incredible value”- says Skoropadenko.

Zoia Skoropadenko despite being a Monaco resident for last 20 year, she still remains  her  Ukrainian citizenship. On the Zoia’s Ark she boarded her famous series TORSO, Intellectual landscapes, and New Pompei Masters. In addition, she also showed her emblematic model of her sculpture The Hope. The full scale sculpture was created in support Fukushima people after the Great Japan Earthquake and  which was inaugurated in 2015 in  Soma city in Fukushima Prefecture. Another The Hope sculpture is situated in Kyiv, Ukraine in front of National Museum of Chernobyl and is a part of its National Art Collection.

French-Canadian ceramist from Vallauris Dale Dorosh presented his collaboration with Skoropadenko series of ceramics Vallauris. He runs one of the important ceramic residencies in the world. But Ukraine is the land of his grandparents, and news about war touching his heart.  

The one of the other artists who’s art were on display on peniche were Icelandic contemporary legend Snorri Asmundsson with his pop art paintings series The Boots. Snorri is famous by his outrageous art performances like Dancing with the dead or The best pianist in the world, he also ran as a candidate in a presidential election in Iceland as an act of art and truth.  

The Monegasque phenom Anthony Alberti aka MrOneTeas showcased his sarcastic Street art.  Alberti whose art is cherished today by such admirers as Prince Albert II of Monaco and Monaco public had a long and not easy route to art, from being paralyzed after the car crash till struggle to retrieve his artistic studio with all art in legal battle. Today he is working in his wonderful artistic studio in Italian Liguria and working with galleries all around the world. 

Californian artist Daniel Leighton, who is a pioneer of an Ipad art as well as Augmented reality art presented his visceral, archetypal art research which emanates from resurrected and persistent visions.

Monaco based UK painter Clem Chambers showed his Fractals series of oil painting based on mathematical theory of his friend late professor Benoit Mandelbrot. Math can be an art too. The two geniuses created a math formula which Chambers uses in his everyday artistic practice. 

American-French artist from Italian Liguria Linda McCluskey showed her cheerful painting inspired by her most favorite holiday fete de la musique (Music holiday which is celebrated in France every 21 of June). McCluskey came from States to France when she was over 40 with a strong determination to become an artist. And so, she did. After 10 years of residency in famous Parisian art squat Rivoli 59, she came to Riviera where she paints, harvest her marrows and every Sunday doing jam sessions with fellow musicians on a rooftop of her magical shed.

The photo art was represented by Antoine Poupel the long time photographer of historical cabaret Crazy Horse and equestrian theatre Zingaro, as well by Philippe Daurios a photographer to the Minister of Interior of France. Daurios presented his recent work about confinement. 

Zoia’s Ark is one of a series of so called flash exhibitions created by Circle of Zoia and The Meloy Art which is mainly happened in Paris during important art events and showcasing art by artist around the world.