SOURCES OF THE FORMATION OF THE KRAM COLLECTION: 39 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN TURBULENCE

Abstract

The article examines the history of the formation and development of the collection in Khmelnytskyi Regional Art Museum (KRAM) over 39 years of its existence amid continuous socio-political and cultural turbulence. The study traces the transformation of the museum from a Soviet-type art institution to the first state museum of contemporary Ukrainian art in independent Ukraine. Special attention is paid to the shift in collection-building concepts, the decisive role of museum professionals in shaping the acquisition strategy, and the main sources of collection growth, including state purchases, inter-museum exchanges, exhibition projects, art residencies, symposia, and donations from artists and private collectors. The article highlights the significance of KRAM as a representative platform for the study and museification of Ukrainian art processes of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It also analyzes the institutional modernization of the museum in the 2010s–2020s, focusing on digitalization, curatorial and educational practices, as well as the museum’s activities during the full-scale war as a socio-rehabilitative and cultural hub. The research demonstrates that a consistent strategic vision, openness to change, and a clear focus on contemporary Ukrainian art have ensured the museum’s institutional sustainability and professional authority.