Dedication to Madame Recamier 1994

Vasiliy Ryabchenko created this artwork, "Dedication to Madame Recamier", as a performative installation. It references Jacques-Louis David’s famous portrait of Madame Récamier, a celebrated figure of Parisian society known for her beauty and wit. Ryabchenko's work emerges from a context marked by the fall of the Soviet Union, a time of profound social and cultural upheaval in Ukraine. Here, the artist reinterprets the classical ideal of female beauty through the lens of contemporary experience. The deconstructed form and found objects suggest a critique of traditional representations of women, and a commentary on the shifting values in a society undergoing radical transformation. The dark fabric and chair introduce a performative element, as if inviting the viewer to engage directly with the themes of identity, history, and memory. The piece invites us to consider how historical narratives are re-evaluated and re-imagined in the wake of political change, while also reminding us of the enduring power of art to reflect and shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.