Charlotte Higgins' 'Ukrainian Lessons' Reviewed: A Personal Homage Beyond Journalism

In a review published in ArtReview's September 2026 issue, critic assesses Charlotte Higgins' book 'Ukrainian Lessons: Art in a Time of War' (Jonathan Cape, £22 hardcover). Contrary to its subtitle, the book is not a guide to visual arts during wartime but a travelogue by the British journalist and chief culture writer for The Guardian. Higgins, with no prior conflict-zone reporting experience, traveled to Ukraine after meeting artist Pavlo Makov at the 2022 Venice Biennale, where he exhibited 'Fountain of Exhaustion' at the unofficial Ukrainian Pavilion, referencing Kharkiv's water shortage and perceived Western European decline. The book features encounters with poets, writers, and artists, including Yuliia Kishchuk, Sasha Dovzhyk, and Victoria Amelina, who was killed in a Russian missile strike on a café in Kramatorsk in 2023. Higgins uses classical mythology, particularly Cassandra, as a metaphor for ignored warnings. The review notes that the book's strength lies in personal moments, such as Higgins' encounter with Volodymyr Vakulenko's mother, Olena Ihnatenko, which she omitted from her Guardian articles. The reviewer concludes that the book reads best as a homage to the people she met, transcending journalistic detachment.