'I couldn’t draw anything else': Exhibit by Ukrainian artists illustrating realities of war coming to Nuit Blanche
A Winnipeg pop-up exhibition of 50 Ukrainian contemporary illustrators is animating the gruesome realities of the Russian invasion, while raising funds to help those fleeing to Canada.
Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre is hosting the “War in Living Colour” exhibit during Nuit Blanche Winnipeg this weekend.
The two-day, pop-up event will feature work by Pictoric, a Kyiv-based illustrators' club founded in 2014.
Member and artist Veronika Kotyk has spent her professional life illustrating children's books. But when Russia invaded in February of 2022, Kotyk couldn’t draw anything but the horrors she and her community experienced every day.
“I didn’t want to draw war but I couldn’t draw anything else when it’s happening, when people are dying daily,” Kotyk told CTV News Winnipeg in an interview. “After the first month of war, we have a bunch of artworks and we decided we need to show it.”
Kyiv-based artist Veronika Kotyk went from animating children's books to illustrating the daily realities of war. Her work is part of the "War in Living Colour" pop-up exhibit coming to Nuit Blanche Winnipeg this weekend. (Source: Scott Andersson/CTV News Winnipeg)
From that work, “War in Living Colour” was created, an animated exhibit exploring themes of resistance, evacuation, childhood during armed conflict, and the realities of daily life during war.
The exhibit travelled through other parts of Canada this summer. Stops in Ottawa and Vancouver raised over $10,000 for causes like tactical first-aid supplies and rehab programs for children affected by war.
Tour organizer Sofya Kominko said the exhibit gives Canadians a more intimate understanding of war.
“Some of these artists were actually in Ukraine in bomb shelters creating these works. Some of them had friends in Ukraine going through some of the horrific things that we could only imagine or we read about in the news,” she said.
The exhibit will be open at the Oseredok galleries at 184 Alexander Avenue East Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The event is pay-what-you-will, and all money raised will fund programming to help the growing number of refugees and displaced people from Ukraine arriving in Winnipeg.
Kotyk said she has been pleasantly surprised at how Canadians have embraced the exhibit so far. Although the work deals with difficult subject matter, she said Winnipeggers should do the same.
“People shouldn't be afraid of that sensitive content. People need to see this. It’s important,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.