Ukraine’s most famous sculptor, spurred by personal tragedy amidst Russia’s war, has channeled two years of anguish into transformative artworks.
ADVERTISEMENTFrom within the debris of Russia’s war, renowned Ukrainian artist Mikhail Reva was compelled to make a dark artistic pivot the day his own country house was ravaged by a Russian strike.
Two years into the invasion, the Odesa-native has not rested in transforming more than two tons of war debris, including spiked Kalashnikov cartridges, bullets and arresting crumpled shells, into art that expresses his homeland’s suffering.
The monumental works are now on display in the U.S. Embassy’s storied Hotel de Talleyrand in Paris, as part of an initiative by the United States to reengage with the Paris-based U.N. cultural agency, UNESCO, which it rejoined last year after a years-long hiatus.
“This is two years of pain, worry, suffering and struggle,” says Reva.
“I’m emotional about people who die peacefully in their homes, I’m emotional about people who die at the front. This is a test for all of us. Two years of being deprived of peace and love,” he adds.
At the exhibition, visitors can expect to see a powerful collection of artworks including 2023’s “The Flower of Death,” which utilises rocket fragments from the actual strike on Reva’s house.
Other highlights include “The Memory of the Crucified,” its form a cross composed of nails recovered from churches obliterated by Russian attacks, along with “Aggressor,” a boldly sexualised sculpture featuring a missile provocatively positioned.
Meanwhile, a gargantuan Russian doll, titled “From Russia With Love” and adorned with 1,000 bullet cartridges as spikes, embodies the irony of violence.
Check out the video in the player above for a closer look inside the exhibition.
Video editor • Theo Farrant
