Harlem Sculpture Gardens presents Ukrainian culture and art to Morningside Park

New York, NY… Post-Tango by artist Mikhailo Levchenko, is a sculpture about the aftermath of human devastation. The state where one has to face unpleasant circumstances, where emotions may have passed, but the body still remembers the physical pain. It is about the search for form after destruction — about a dance turned into an architecture of survival.

According to the artist, “Post-Tango represents the tension between rhythm and stillness, passion and formalism at its core. It is born from the intersection of dance and trauma, reflecting the experience of displaced and migrant individuals: where movement is impossible, yet memories still move within the bones. It is not a body — it is its echo, its trace. The sculpture breathes space, inviting viewers to feel its inner movement, rather than just see it.”

The sculpture was first designed as a 3D model, then digitally sliced into layers using CAD software. These layers were converted into vector files for fabrication. Each slice was cut from steel sheets using a combination of laser and CNC milling depending on the thickness. After cutting, the elements were assembled and welded internally, then painted for outdoor durability.
Post Tango is 6ft. 5 inches high with a width that is 5ft. 8inches, and a depth of 5ft and 5 inches.The weight is approximately 500 lbs.

About the Artist

Mikhailo Levchenko was born in 1976 in Kyiv, Ukraine. He grew up in an artistic environment, which allowed his creativity to develop. Michael Levchenko started painting at an early age and began sculpting when he was only 15 years old. His first works were mainly figurative, but over the years, his art evolved into abstraction. It was an abstraction that gave the talented artist complete freedom to create his art and share his vision, shaping a space both emotionally and intellectually.

Today, Mikhailo Levchenko is a prominent Ukrainian abstract sculptor working in stone, granite, sandstone, and marble. His incredible sculptures have been featured at several national and international exhibitions and are in many private and public collections worldwide, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Roldan (Argentina), the Museum of Contemporary Art in Volterra (Italy), and the International Sculpture Park in Aya Napa (Cyprus). Monumental works by Michael Levchenko are also installed in public spaces in Ukraine, China, Belgium, France, Germany, Norway, Israel, Turkey, Canada, and other countries.

Many of his works belong to private and public collections in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Chile, China, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Syria, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, the United States. In 2019, took part in “The Shadow of Dream” cast at Giardini della Biennale” within the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale.

Savona Bailey-McClain, Executive Director of the West Harlem Art Fund shares,
“The art capital of the United States is New York City. People from all over the world live here, speaking different languages and interacting with different cultures. The city's fine art scene, however, has been largely concentrated in a few areas for too long. In a meaningful way, our exhibition introduces this world to New York's broader population. There should be a celebration of other cultures in Harlem, a world-famous place.”

About the West Harlem Art Fund (https://www.westharlem.art)

The West Harlem Art Fund (WHAF) is a twenty-seven-year-old, public art and design organization. WHAF seek opportunities for artists and creative professionals throughout NYC and beyond wishing to showcase and share their talent. The West Harlem Art Fund presents art and culture in open and public spaces to add aesthetic interest; promote historical and cultural heritage; and support community involvement in local development. Our heritage symbol Afuntummireku-denkyemmtreku: is the double crocodile from West Africa Ghana which means unity in diversity.

About New York Artist Equity Association (https://www.nyartistsequity.org)

New York Artist Equity Association was founded in 1947 to promote opportunities for artists and address economic issues affecting American artists. More than 160 leading American artists of the 1940s founded the organization, including Will Barnet, Thomas Hart Benton, George Biddle, Paul Cadmus, Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, Edward Hopper, Leon Kroll, Jacob Lawrence, John Marin, Louise Nevelson, John Sloan and the first President Yasuo Kuniyoshi. These diverse artists were all clear on one point -- they had to band together to establish and protect artists' economic well-being. Today NYAE continues to support the professional aspirations of unrecognized and emerging artists, particularly those from underrepresented groups, by providing them with exhibition opportunities, educational programing, and a vibrant community of artists, collectors, curators, and art educators.

Special thanks: Elizabeth Massella, Temporary Public Art Coordinator, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and Manhattan Community Board 9.