“A monastery as a place of measured, stable life—the kind of life most people on the planet aspire to. A place of safety. The views from the windows of the monastic cells are mesmerizing. They inspire a sense of calm and encourage reflection. Adapting to clear rules and carrying out one’s daily duties—simple things. These are within a person’s capabilities. Especially in a place where many of the stimuli we are accustomed to are absent.

There are so many cosy places outside, yet we remain living here. We can immerse ourselves in this idyll, but we do not.

An oasis, a vast enclosed world, close to the ideal, which exists beyond our boundaries and which we observe from afar.

So why do we not all exist in a monastery, but instead pass by?”
(Petro Smetana)

The seventh solo exhibition by Lviv-based artist Petro Smetana at Zelena Kanapa Gallery will present several series of his works, including landscapes of cosy places that are pleasing to the eye, as well as allusions to images of spiritual figures in dialogue with a 16th-century icon of Saint Thomas.

At the same time, the exhibition of Petr Smetana will take place in the National Museum of Lviv named after A. Sheptytskyi, at which, for the first time in Lviv, our joint project Resurrection will be presented, which for nine months in 2022 represented Ukraine at the Venice Biennale “Ressurection”. Petro Smetana exhibition in “Personal Structure” bienalle in Venice. April, 23 – November, 27 2022

The paintings, created in mixed media between 2020 and 2026, have not previously been exhibited in Lviv. Some of them come from private collections.

The exhibition opening will take place on 15 September at 5:00 PM

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