Ukraine\’s art and artists refuse to bow down to war

A SUMMARY OF THE MOST EXCITING ART NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

While we focus on Indian art, we can’t obviously function in a vacuum. It’s a small world and everything is connected, especially on the web. So, let’s train our spotlight across the world map to see what’s going on — from art trends to socio-political issues to everything that affects the great aesthetic global consciousness. Or, let’s just travel the world and have some fun!

Ukrainian artist\’s work becomes global symbol of peace

Last week, Ukraine\’s Foreign Ministry said several of Maria Prymachenko’s paintings were among those destroyed at a museum in her native region of Ivankiv, about 50 miles northwest of the capital Kyiv, following an attack by Russian forces. But reports have since emerged suggesting that an act of bravery may have saved more than a dozen of her works from the blaze. In fact, the Maria Prymachenko Family Foundation, which manages the artist\’s catalog and is run by her great-granddaughter Anastasiia, believes that all the museum\’s Prymachenko paintings were rescued from the building by a local resident. Now, her 1982 painting \”A Dove Has Spread Her Wings and Asks for Peace\” — although not at the museum — is gaining traction as a symbol of hope for the country. CNN reports.

 

Before the war in photos: Charity art prints depict the beauty of Ukraine

Ukrainian and internationally renowned photographers have come together in aid of War Child and Choose Love to raise money for the growing refugee crisis, and also as a reminder of the beauty and diversity of the Ukrainian people, culture and land. Theprintspace is running a charitable online art print sale which invites the public to view and purchase the photographs, all of which were taken in Ukraine. The Guardian compiles the stunning imagery.

 

Ukrainian cartoonists draw under siege

Art springs eternal, perhaps like hope, even in the darkest hours. Ukrainian cartoonists have been drawing notes of their experience during the beginning of the onslaught, in an evocative diary that shares their deepest fears and disruption of mundane realities with the world. From a minute-by-minute realisation of the reality of war, to the reactions of friends and family, connecting across the country in a moment of desperation and uncertainty — these cartoons chronicle it all. Hyperallergic shares a glimpse with the world.

 

Museums race against time to save cultural treasures

The city of Lviv, often dubbed Ukraine\’s cultural capital, is racing to protect its rich collection of historic art. Lviv\’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the National Museum houses the country\’s most complete collection of sacred medieval art and rare religious manuscripts. The rush to save its books, paintings and other artifacts has left little time to wait for specialized packing materials. Instead, volunteers make do by hastily nailing together crates from whatever wood is available. There are also evolving plans to evacuate precious art works from besieged cities, such as Kiev and Kharkiv, if necessary — possibly to safer cities such as Lviv. CNN Style tells you more.

 

Ukraine at Venice Biennale amidst war

At the Ukrainian pavilion of the 59th Venice Biennale, artist Pavlo Makov will present The Fountain of Exhaustion. Acqua Alta (1995–2022). This kinetic sculpture, which speaks to infrastructural ruins, cultural erasure, climate collapse, and war, will be the focal point of the pavilion in Venice, despite the war in Ukraine, due in large part to the perseverance of the pavilion’s curators: Lizaveta German and Maria Lanko, co-founders of the Kyiv art space Naked Room, and Borys Filonenko, chief founder of IST Publishing. Check out Artsy for a full report.

 

‘Russia oligarchs can still exploit UK art market loopholes’

Russian oligarchs will be able to exploit legal loopholes around Britain’s art market to evade sanctions and launder money, experts have said, despite Boris Johnson’s claim there will be “nowhere to hide” from a clampdown on Kremlin-linked wealth. It comes as the Labour MP Chris Bryant said “valuable assets” were likely to be traded by supporters of Vladimir Putin, and called on Christie’s and Sotheby’s – the leading auction houses – to refuse to handle them. However, experienced advisers said the ultimate “beneficial” owner of priceless artworks could still be concealed, aided by the market’s global scale and increasing online presence. Kremlin-linked cash could also be laundered through collectibles such as stamps, wine and the burgeoning market in non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which do not feature in UK money-laundering regulations dating back to 2017. Meanwhile, there have been questions about whether Sotheby’s and Christie’s will keep their offices in Moscow, with calls for a boycott of Phillips, a major auctioneer owned by a Russian luxury goods company. The Guardian elaborates.