'Modern Art Foundation' Withholds Financial Details
The 'Modern Art Foundation' charity has refused to disclose information regarding donations collected in 2021 for a museum dedicated to artist Ivan Marchuk. The funds were raised during a concert by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and a separate event on August 24th. Foundation head Lidiia Lisimova stated she cannot reveal confidential financial and contractual data, citing legal rights to privacy. This lack of transparency is particularly concerning for a cultural project involving significant public figures and donor contributions.
The fundraising campaign for the Ivan Marchuk museum was launched ahead of Ukraine's 30th Independence Day in 2021. The Andrea Bocelli concert in Kyiv was organized under the auspices of the foundation, which was previously named the 'Marchuk Art Foundation'. The August 24th gala was attended by:
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the First Lady
- Prominent artists, including Sofia Rotaru, Iryna Bilyk, Nina Matvienko, and the band 'Okean Elzy'
Ticket prices for the concert reached up to 2,700 hryvnias, which was designated as a charitable donation.
Following the fundraiser, Lidiia Lisimova initially promised to provide financial reports by December 25, 2025, but later reneged on this commitment. When pressed for reasons, she stated:
"I'm sorry, but we will not provide you with this information; we have the right not to." – Lidiia Lisimova
The Legacy of Ivan Marchuk
The planned museum would honor Ivan Marchuk, a recipient of Ukraine's National Shevchenko Prize and a member of the scientific council of Rome's International Academy of Modern Art. The artist will turn 90 in May 2026. His prolific career has produced over 5,000 works, with individual paintings typically selling for between $5,000 and $10,000. In 2021, he was awarded the presidential honor 'National Legend of Ukraine', and he was previously listed among the '100 Living Geniuses' by the UK's The Daily Telegraph in 2007.
In the summer of 2024, Marchuk's painting 'The Moon Rose Over the Dnipro' sold for $300,000 at auction. In 2022, his work 'Garden of Temptation' fetched $120,000 at a charity auction. The artist has held more than 150 solo exhibitions and approximately 50 group shows, underscoring his substantial impact on contemporary art.
The 'Modern Art Foundation's' refusal to account for the museum donations has raised public concern. Marchuk is a pivotal figure in Ukrainian art, making a museum dedicated to his work a significant cultural heritage project. The situation highlights ongoing challenges with transparency in charitable fundraising within Ukraine's cultural sector, where public trust is essential for supporting major initiatives.