The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the Art World
In the first of our two articles, we look at the effect that Russia's invasion has had on the art world of Ukraine.
By
Hana Krkoska
March 25, 2022
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
The last few weeks have been eventful for the world as well as the art sector. Although widely forecast, the outbreak of war in Ukraine took many by surprise, and the art world has responded accordingly, from cancelling exhibitions and auctions of Russian art to a variety of humanitarian responses such as offers of shelter to refugees and fundraising efforts for residents still in Ukraine. In this article, we will investigate the effect that the war has had on the art world, and - in an upcoming article - we will spotlight the various responses to the war by the artists and collectives affected.
Even before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, artistic interrogations of the tensions between the two countries proved controversial; in 2018, an installation by emerging Ukrainian artist Spartak Khachanov - then a student - depicting the Russian army as a parade of phalluses was destroyed by National Academy of Arts professor Vladimir Kharchenko. Khachanov was subsequently expelled from the academy, which has long been known for its artistic conservatism, giving no classes in new media, installation, or performance art.
With the most recent invasion imminent, Ukrainian artist Volo Bevza was determined to go ahead with the opening of his solo exhibition at the WT Foundation in Kyiv, titled Soft Image. When the invasion began however, this act of defiance proved impossible, and Bevza turned his attention instead to helping create ‘steel hedgehogs’, barricades designed to stop and reroute tanks and armoured vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pavlo Makov will still represent Ukraine at the Venice Biennale, despite facing difficulties in transporting his work from his residence in Kharkiv, which he states he has no plans to leave. His piece on display will be an updated version of his 1995 work The Fountain of Exhaustion, to reflect contemporary “global exhaustion [with] existential problems, not only with nature, but also via fake news and politics”. While ethnically Russian, Makov identifies himself with his Ukrainian nationality, having severed all ties with Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, and since then has been utilising the funds raised by selling his art to support Ukrainian defence efforts.
On a physical level, the Russian invasion has also affected the Ukrainian art world. In late February, Russian forces burned down The Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, home to dozens of works by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. A self-taught artist who passed away in 1997, Prymachenko’s work was praised by such figures as Pablo Picasso, and were described by Ukraine’s foreign ministry as “world famous masterpieces”. With her themes of peace and anti-war sentiment present throughout her work, artists worldwide are utilising her work to call for peace in Ukraine.
