work showcasing frustrated feelings and the drive to persist
In the heart of Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, artist Dina Tschmusch has embarked on a powerful and poignant art project amidst the ongoing conflict. Her work transforms the broken and destroyed windows of buildings damaged by war into canvases of hope, resilience, and identity.
Context
Kharkiv, one of Ukraine's largest cities, has endured significant damage due to the Russian invasion. Many homes and public buildings bear the scars of shattered windows. Dina sees these broken panes not as symbols of destruction, but as a medium for her art.
Artistic Approach
Using a brush and paint, Dina paints poetic texts in Ukrainian on the glass fragments and surrounding window frames. These poems often highlight themes of Ukrainian identity, endurance, pain, and the collective spirit of Ukrainians in the face of aggression.
Purpose
Rather than just documenting destruction, the artwork reclaims these spaces, turning them into statements of cultural pride and survival. The fragile yet visible writings speak directly to the community, reminding residents and visitors alike of the strength and beauty of Ukrainian culture despite adversity.
Impact
Dina's project has created a deeply emotional connection with both locals and those who see images of the work internationally. It evokes feelings of solidarity, grief, and hope simultaneously. At a time when Ukrainian identity is under direct threat, these poetic affirmations painted on ruined windows assert national pride and continuity, resisting erasure.
The visual nature of the project helps communicate the human cost of war to a global audience, drawing attention in a way that statistics and news reports may not. For residents of Kharkiv, the project helps create a sense of collective memory and healing, making the war’s impact visible yet balanced by messages of resilience and future possibility.
Origins of the Project
Dina began painting destroyed windows in Kharkiv after returning from a brief wartime stay in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv in 2022. One of her additions to a poem by Oleg Kadanov reads, "We must keep living, and everything will be alright, as long as we do something about it."
Continuation and Expansion
Some of Dina's work finds an unexpected continuation from unknown individuals. For instance, an addition was made to Oleg Kadanov's poem, adding, "and we will not give up." Dina's chosen poems often contain self-irony and provocation, challenging perceptions and encouraging reflection.
The City of Kharkiv
Kharkiv is the center of modern theater and literature and played an important role in the development of Ukrainian culture, hidden for decades under Soviet oppression. Despite suffering from attacks, the city remains alive and vibrant. People continue to laugh, love, get married, have children, go on vacation, mourn, worry, and hope for peace.
Dina Tschmusch, a 27-year-old artist, stands next to a plywood sheet covering a window destroyed by shockwaves, determined to change the perception of Kharkiv by emphasizing its Ukrainian identity through her art. The attacks in Kharkiv continue, but so does life. People go to work, school, university, and participate in cultural events.
One of the poems Dina chose is by soldier Artem Polezhaka, which challenges perceptions of war. Polezhaka's poem suggests that people in war do not become heroes, but remain who they were before. Rostyslav Averchuk, a Ukrainian journalist from the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, is currently in Kharkiv, documenting Dina's work and the resilience of the city and its people.
- Amidst the ongoing conflict in Kharkiv, artist Dina Tschmusch's project focuses on lifestyle, showcasing poetic texts on shattered windows that highlight themes of Ukrainian identity, endurance, and hope as a form of personal growth.
- The art project, combining fashion-and-beauty with home-and-garden, creates a poignant visual narrative of resilience, reclaiming damaged spaces into statements of cultural pride and survival in the heart of Ukraine.
- Technology plays a vital role in the global dissemination of Dina's work, evoking feelings of solidarity, grief, and hope amongst viewers, particularly in education-and-self-development circles, as it raises awareness about the human cost of war.
- Relationships within the Kharkiv community are strengthened through this artistic expression, serving as a symbol of collective memory, healing, and emotional connections, despite the ongoing sports and travel disruptions caused by the conflict.
- The project, rooted in the city's rich tradition of theater and literature, demonstrates how art can create profound impact during times of adversity, promoting self-reflection and provocation that challenge perceptions and serve as a beacon of hope for a peaceful future.
