Every war is a humanitarian catastrophe, but it is also an ecological catastrophe. Besides having a direct destructive effect on the environment, military actions have long-term effects. While they seem secondary in the context of daily tragedies, these consequences acquire concrete forms and become obvious and inescapable once peace arrives, together with the possibility of a future.

So, thinking about future ecology now, in Kyiv in the spring of 2022, also means thinking about hope, possibilities and responsibility.

Thinking globally, being aware of oneself and one's in/significant role in planetary processes, is both the challenge and hope of present times. This is what we must accept and how we must act.

Today we see that there are no local epidemics, but rather pandemics. There are no local wars; rather every war affects everybody somehow or other. There is no isolated environment; it is rather a common home, one planet, and its wellbeing depends on everyone's efforts.

In this context, reexamining artistic practices as forms of ecological action must transcend genre and perhaps become a fundamental principle — not only develop through relevant demand, studying the problematics, employing concepts like upcycling, recycling, etc., but by serving as an autor`s filter for endorsing artistic ideas.

The project Donate by Ivan Svitlychnyi references the art — viewer system, shifting the viewer from the position of recipient to the position of donor, who provides the life of an art object. At the same time, direct interaction between the donor and the object may never occur.

And if the usual transaction medium in donation culture is money, then the medium in this ecological project is not an equivalent but something concrete — electricity. Thus, by incorporating a gift of electricity into your everyday life, each person can shape and influence the exhibited art object.

Donate consists of two parts. The first, which is the basic means of communication, is a website. Here the viewer/donor learns about the project, possibilities for participation, and can register their gift/donation.

The second part is an exhibition installation that it can be produced in any form, scale and space. The installation's only technical and visual stipulations are that it uses light and sound systems that are powered solely by the electricity “provided” by donors.

Thus, the project stands on the collaboration of viewers to create the art object through donated electricity.

How do you donate electricity?

1. Think about how you can reduce/optimize your daily electricity use. For example: give up (in favor of walking) your electric scooter for one day (or more); turn off the lights when you're not indoors; try not using the iron; put on a sweater and turn off the heater; come up with your own way to save electricity.

2. Fill out the donation application. In the "How many W?" column, write down information about the wattage of an appliance (the wattage is listed in the manual or on the appliance itself). In the "How long in minutes" column, write how long you have not used the appliance.

Please note: You only need to enter data about optimized electricity. You can donate electricity no more than three times during one exhibition.