THU 8 JUNE - SUN 2 JULY 2023, Estuary Art Centre, Orewa (214b Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa)

On the trail of Ukrainians under the invasion, Estuary Art Centre in Orewa will open a new exhibition about people of Ukraine under conditions of total war. It is a unique synthesis of a standalone exhibition from the Auckland War Museum and commemoration event in the Sydney Town Hall by respective local Ukrainian Communities, special series of artworks by Kiwi sculptor, and a series of war victims’ stories by a non-government organisation from Ukraine recently displayed on the streets of main cities of New Zealand.

Most of the photo works and information panels from the exhibition ‘Ukraine: The Cost of Freedom’, originally opened in the Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum in Te Taunga community hub from the 24th of August to the 23rd of October 2022, with its materials afterward displayed in the Te Heranga Waka Victoria University of Wellington from the 17th of November to the 17th of December 2022, contemporary photojournalism from the frontline in Ukraine showing the devastation and impact the war unleashed by Russian Federation has had on the Ukrainian people. 

Extraordinary and sometimes harrowing images, were captured by some of the most prominent Ukrainian photographers including Denys Kazanskyi, Dmytro Laryn, Serhii Myhalchuk, Kostiantyn Sova, Dmytro Kornilov, Eduard Kryzhanivskyi, Tetiana Poslavska, Dmytro Kozatsky, Datalion, Viacheslav Onyshchenko, Misha Djos and Rodrigo Abd, shed light on the pain and struggle of Ukrainian citizens who have been resisting the Russian invasion for many months. 

Many of the photographs have been provided to the exhibition by ‘Ukrainska Pravda’ (in Ukrainian for ‘Ukrainian Truth’), Ukraine’s largest news website, and most of the video content was provided by the media project ‘Ukrainer’.

Ukrainian project team of the original exhibition in the Auckland Museum: 

Kateryna Samokisha (Project Manager), Alex Pakholjuk (Creative Director), Tanya Mishchuk (Art Director), Kyrylo Kucherov (Content Writer)

https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/your-museum/at-home/things-to-explore/virtual-exhibitions/ukraine-the-cost-of-freedom

Featured works from the event ‘Ukraine: Secrets of Resilience’ held on the 24th of February 2023 in the Sydney Town Hall on the one-year anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, an art exhibition uncovering the secrets of Ukrainian resilience through emotional and telling posters. 

“Despite all predictions, Ukraine still resists, liberates its territories, and strongly believes in victory.

Did you ever wonder why Ukraine is still standing?”

Ukrainian project team: 

Tetiana Koludenko, Olena Levkivska, Nataliia Vyaz, Natalia Kravchenko, Alena Vigovska, Vasyl Zubach ft. Christine Young. 

‘True Blue and a little bit of Yellow’ - https://www.facebook.com/trueblueandalittlebitofyellow/

Posters were created by Tetiana Koludenko

The main artwork ‘Revival’ by Olena Levkivska will be on display during the whole period of the exhibition in the Estuary Art Centre and then sold at the art-auction on the 1st of July 2023.

Featured children’s stories from the Memory Platform ‘Memorial’,  displayed in New Zealand on the streets of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin on the 24th of February 2023, during the vigil commemorating the memories of all the victims of the war brought on Ukrainians by the people of Russia. It is also a reminder to the world about the highest price Ukrainians are paying not only for their own freedom, lives, and sovereign state but to keep the infamous ‘Russian World’ within its borders and not to let its evil spill across into other free countries. 

“Our mission is to preserve the memory of those who lost their lives, tell their stories to the world, and record all the crimes of Russians in Ukraine.”

The creator of the stories and portraits is Ukrainian Non-Government Organisation – Memory Platform ‘Memorial’

https://www.victims.memorial/

Series of laser cut etchings “Ukraine” by Kiwi-sculptor Jan Ubels, created since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, first displayed at the exhibition “Ukraine: Colours of Freedom” in the Papakura Museum from the 15th of October to the 14th of November 2022, depicting devastating impact upon millions of people who have been displaced by the Moscovian aggression. 

“This artwork series is inspired by the pictures across the media, particularly of the elderly, women, and children walking in devastation with their only worldly possessions. On purpose, Jan wanted these not to be specific or identifiable individuals. Instead, he wanted us to consider that this could be any of us.”

Jan has gifted the entire series to Ukrainian community in New Zealand for any worthy purpose.

https://sites.google.com/view/jan-ubels-sculpture/art-work/ukraine

On top of that, visitors will have an opportunity to discover Ukraine through information boards and videos displayed in the main foyer of the Estuary Art Centre, see traditional Ukrainian clothes, try Ukrainian cuisine at the Fundraising Dinner or Bake Sale on the day of the Art Auction, learn & make for yourself traditional Ukrainian flower wreath at the workshop day, and of course support Ukraine via donations, purchases of cakes, attending the fundraising dinner or buying art at the auction day. All proceedings are going to Ukraine.