The support of Ukraine brought Czech and Ukrainian artists together

As part of the extensive support of Ukraine across the public, an initiative is currently being created in the artistic sphere, the aim of which is to show the attitude of artists towards the unprecedented situation in Eastern Europe. Twenty authors participated in the Make Art Not War challenge, among which we can find prominent figures of the contemporary Czech art scene, such as Michal Škapa, Milan Cais, David Strauzz, the Tomski&Polanski duobut also, for example, the Ukrainian street-artist Andrew Kalkov or the Spanish artist Liqen and other foreign authors.

Each of the original works of art was created as a reaction to the ongoing war. Through them, the artists express their attitude to the current situation – some speak to the viewer with the symbolism of peace, with the help of humor or with a strong gesture expressing disagreement. Proceeds from the sale of unique graphic sheets will be sent to the SOS Ukraine public account established by People in Need. “We decided on the medium of the poster because it has historically been the bearer of not only advertising, but especially political messages as well. During wars, it was even used to express opposition to the enemy. “Posters allow artists to respond flexibly to current events and communicate their position to the world with their unique visual language,” said Jan Dvořákdirector of the Sport in Art organization, under whose auspices the charity project is being created.

At the same time, he considers the poster to be an accessible form of art, which is now becoming a tool to financially support a friendly country in need. “At first, we wanted to symbolically reach out and connect Czech and Ukrainian creators, but gradually, important artists from all over the world who want to support the project are also joining. Artists from Japan to Spain are involved, and more are being added,” adds Dvořák. Artistic graphic sheets in A2 format on exclusive paper or in an electronic version will be available for purchase through the project’s e-shop.