A testimony. A battle cry. A call for help. For Ukrainian concept artist Volodymyr Bondar, art can mean so many things. Recently, he joined the Avatars for Ukraine project and together with other Ukrainian artists and designers contributed his talent to help people affected by the ongoing war.
Today, Volodymyr’s artwork is one of the 20 new entries in our special Stand With Ukraine Collection. We talked to him about his approach to creating art in these turbulent times.
What did the process of creating this artwork look like?
I drew it shortly after the war began, at a time when Russian troops were rapidly advancing across our lands, shelling our cities, and killing our people. I engaged in volunteer work and helped move people from Kharkov to Poltava and the Dnieper. All that while I watched my city being turned to ruins.
I wanted my artwork to reflect the pain Ukrainians experience as well as the strength that they show. And while I didn’t want to picture Ukraine weak or defeated, I chose to show the sacrifices we are making. The Russians may think their shellings scare us, but we only get angrier and more determined to win.
How do you feel about creating art and connecting with other artists in such tough times?
I feel like nowadays many people are experiencing strong emotions. They have something to say, and they want to say it using words that come not from logic, but from the heart. They’re the most sincere and most honest. I stay in touch with my colleagues. Everyone is worried about our country, everyone tries to participate in volunteer work, and everyone shares a common desire for victory and peace.
It was difficult for me to start drawing, in fact. All that I could think about was the war and the people who needed help. But eventually my motivator and inspirator Dmitry Tarabanov convinced me that artistic work is also important and can help draw more attention to our situation.
I want to express my gratitude to the entire team who took part in this initiative, held a charity auction, and transferred funds to help the Ukrainian army. I also want to say ‘thank you’ to all those caring people who help Ukraine. When this war is over, I dream of taking a big trip across Europe, North America, and other parts of the world to personally thank all the friends, acquaintances, and strangers who are helping us now.
Once again, thank you so much for your help. It’s very important to us!
