Ukrainian Art Workers Mobilize to Protect Cultural Heritage Amid Russian Invasion
As Russia's invasion reaches its fourth week, Ukrainian cultural workers are actively preserving artworks. The Kharkiv Fine Arts Museum suffered damage from airstrikes, leading its staff to safeguard the varied collection. In Chernihiv, the Vasyl Tarnovskyi Museum was obliterated by Russian missiles, leaving the fate of its collection uncertain. The Donetsk Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol was bombed while it provided refuge to over a thousand women and children. Olha Honchar founded the Museum Crisis Center, which, with support from the European Commission and private donors, aids 36 cultural institutions. The Visual Culture Research Center and Ukrainian Emergency Art Fund are also participating. Meanwhile, the Lviv Municipal Art Center has transformed into a community center for refugees, and the Yermilov Arts Centre operates as a bomb shelter. Kirill Lipatov highlighted the irony of safeguarding Russian masterpieces.
Key facts
- Russia's invasion of Ukraine has entered its fourth week, causing widespread cultural destruction.
- The Kharkiv Fine Arts Museum suffered substantial damage, exposing its diverse collection to elements.
- The Vasyl Tarnovskyi Museum in Chernihiv was destroyed by Russian missiles, with its collection missing.
- Mariupol's Donetsk Regional Drama Theatre was bombed while sheltering over a thousand women and children.
- Olha Honchar founded the Museum Crisis Center, aiding 36 cultural institutions in 15 days.
- Maria Lanko drove over five days to save installation pieces for the 59th Venice Biennale.
- The Ukrainian Emergency Art Fund was established by multiple organizations including the Museum of Contemporary Art NGO.
- Artists like Pavlo Makov have taken refuge in the Yermilov Arts Centre during rocket attacks in Kharkiv.
Entities
Artists
- Maria Prymachenko
- Fedir Prymachenko
- Ivan Prymachenko
- Pablo Picasso
- Oleh Holosiy
- Pavlo Makov
- Polina Baitsym
- Inga Levi
- Kirill Lipatov
- Olha Honchar
- Maria Lanko
Institutions
- Kharkiv Fine Arts Museum
- Vasyl Tarnovskyi Museum
- Donetsk Regional Drama Theatre
- Museum of Local History (Ivankiv)
- 'Territory of Terror' Memorial Museum of Totalitarian Regimes
- Museum Crisis Center
- European Commission
- Pinchuk Art Centre
- MitOst e.V.
- Visual Culture Research Center
- Ukrainian Emergency Art Fund
- Museum of Contemporary Art NGO
- Zaborona
- Mystetskyi Arsenal National Art and Culture Complex
- The Naked Room
- Lviv Municipal Art Center
- Yermilov Arts Centre
- Kharkiv National University
- Asortymentna Kimnata (Assortment Room)
- Odesa Fine Arts Museum
- Paraska Plytka-Horytsvit Museum
- Central European University
- MOCA Library
- 59th Venice Biennale
- Ukrainian Pavilion
Locations
- Ukraine
- Russia
- Kharkiv
- Chernihiv
- Mariupol
- Lviv
- Luhansk
- Donetsk
- Kyiv
- Dnipro
- Ivano-Frankivsk
- Bolotnia
- Kryvorivnia
- Verkhovyna district
- Budapest
- Vienna
- Ivankiv
- Odesa