Exhibition “The Art of Victory”

25.11.2024

On November 22, teachers of the Department of Political Science and International Relations were invited to the exhibition “The Art of Victory”, where were represented art works by the soldiers – defenders of Ukraine. 

The exhibition presented the works of military personnel undergoing treatment at the Main Military Clinical Hospital. All works were carried out as part of the art therapy project “Draw with a Soldier”, which was launched in the summer of 2022 with the curatorial support of Oleksii Rogodchenko (Doctor of Art History, Professor, Honored Artist of Ukraine, Chief Researcher of the Institute for Problems of Contemporary Art of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) and Inna Chernenko (psychiatrist, psychotherapist, senior resident of the psychiatric clinic of the Main Military Clinical Hospital, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Lieutenant Colonel of the Medical Service) in cooperation with the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, the Institute for Problems of Contemporary Art, and the Main Military Clinical Hospital.

The main goal of the project is to help military personnel free themselves from fears, anxieties, and intrusive memories of the war during art therapy master classes. During the work, each soldier is assisted by a professional artist. Together they boldly implement the most creative ideas, while learning to interact, share the limited space of the canvas, and communicate on various topics, except for war.

The discovery was that the soldiers unexpectedly discovered a talent for drawing, increased their self-esteem, and achieved self-recognition. Some of the participants in this project made drawing their hobby.

The paintings act as a metaphorical mirror that reflects the thoughts, desires, emotions, and preferences of our defenders who are undergoing rehabilitation, and, at the same time, are a transit object for the transition between the external and internal world of the individual, helping to overcome PTSD.

Each work is essentially a cry of the warrior’s soul, which is reflected on the canvas through the plot, combination of colors, and forms.

According to the Department of Political Science and International Relations