©UNHCR/Kata Rudakova
In November, two Ukrainian artists, Kateryna Rudakova and Daria Prokhorchuk, joined forces to bring art and hope to internally displaced people and their host communities in Ukraine.
With the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its NGO partner organization Rokada Charitable Foundation, and together with dozens of local and displaced children, the artists created beautiful murals in two hromadas in the western part of Ukraine – a region that has hosted many of those who were forced to flee their homes due to the full-scale Russian invasion.
Using vibrant colors and animation characters, the first mural in Vinkivtsi village, Khmelnytskyi oblast, depicts an “ideal city” that embodies both the displaced people’s hometowns and their host community where they were welcomed with open arms and hearts. The mural measures 30 meters wide and 4 meters high and captures the essence of welcoming communities standing in solidarity with those in search of safety, a new home and a fresh start.
©UNHCR/Kata Rudakova
©UNHCR/Kata Rudakova
©UNHCR/Kata Rudakova
©UNHCR/Kata Rudakova
©UNHCR/Kata Rudakova
“This mural was named ‘Unity’. We decided to draw a hometown of displaced people, where children drew their hobbies, school, friends. Also, there is a bridge as a symbol of unity, and a magical forest as a symbol of the protection that nature can provide,” explained artist Kateryna Rudakova.
Meanwhile, in Skalat village, Ternopil Oblast, another mural, measuring 6 meters by 7 meters, adorns the local House of Culture. The artists worked on the upper part of the composition, which depicts parents wrapping their arms around their child, protecting it from the troubles of the world. The lower part of the mural was created by local and displaced children. They depicted a giant heart, each corner of which symbolizes a happy life: love, family, nature, animals, friends.
“The idea of the mural was to show a child who draws the feeling of protection of parents’ love and care. The final sketch of the mural was developed together with children. They described the most important things in their lives, and we divided them by sectors on the lower part of the mural,” says Daria Prokhorchuk.
We are inviting you to come and see murals by yourself. Here are the addresses:
Ternopil Oblast: Skalat village, Taras Shevchenko Avenue, 5
Khmelnytskyi Oblast: Vinkivtsi village, Proskurivska Street, 1, Center for the provision of social services.
In August, with the support of UNHCR, Kateryna and Daria took part in a workshop organized by the global non-profit organization Artolution in Sofia, Bulgaria. Along with 18 other artists from nine different countries, including refugees from Ukraine and Syria, they created a monumental mural of about 500 square meters on the façade of Sofia’s Fifth Evening School, Penyo Penev.
More than 30 children from Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine joined the artists in creating the mural, which depicts the connection between different cultures and a shared hope for the future, as well as an art installation made from recycled plastic.
“For the first time, we have brought artists from 10 countries to train them how to facilitate community-based public arts and education programmes when they return home,” said Artolution co-founder Max Frieder. “This is the next model for arts and education to support refugees and host communities through creativity and collaboration all over the world.”
About Artolution
Artolution works to identify, train and support local artists in refugee and forcibly displaced communities to enable them to facilitate collaborative and educational arts programmes in their communities that seeks long-term positive social impact. Artolution has programmes around the world including in Jordan, Colombia, Bangladesh and Uganda.
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