What did you do before the beginning of the full-scale invasion?
— I am an artist and illustrator. Before the full-scale invasion, I was working on commissions for book covers, book illustrations, and T-shirt designs. I also created and published my own comics.
Can you describe your day of February 24?
— I was in Lviv and woke up around 7 a.m. to a flood of notifications from friends, chats, and public pages with alarming messages about missiles and explosions. I heard an air siren outside but didn’t immediately realize it was an air raid alert. I was in shock and struggled to believe what was happening. The rest of the day was spent glued to the news, trying to make sense of the situation.
Has your activity changed since the beginning of the Full-scale invasion?
— My primary work has remained the same, but I’ve increased my involvement in volunteer activities. I worked on a T-shirt project featuring artillery and military equipment designs. We sold around 300 shirts in a month, donating the proceeds to the Come Back Alive Foundation. I also began drawing portraits of military personnel, initially focusing on friends but later expanding the scope.
Additionally, my recent illustrations focus on war themes, such as the Ghost of Kyiv and the Neptune missile. My Instagram now features mostly war-related artwork, a significant shift from my pre-February 24 interests. I’m also nearing completion of the second part of my comic book, Mor (The Plague), although I initially paused work on it to concentrate on war-related projects.
How does the ninth month of the full-scale war affect your creativity?
— Initially, my work was driven by impulse, but now it’s more deliberate. Events like the Kharkiv counteroffensive inspire spontaneous ideas that I quickly bring to life and share. I’ve developed a more structured approach to manage my creativity effectively.
I also try to filter and limit my information sources to avoid becoming overwhelmed, which previously led to creative block. By consuming less information and distinguishing between reliable and unreliable sources, I’ve become more productive and procrastinate less. In the early months of the invasion, I felt only 10-20% as productive as I was before, but now my efficiency has improved significantly.
What response to your creative works do you observe? Was there any Feedback From abroad?
— Reactions to my work vary—some pieces resonate immediately, while others don’t. I try not to dwell on the response while creating.
I’ve received overwhelming support from around the world, from the USA to Zimbabwe. Early in the invasion, many reached out, including friends, past collaborators, and even strangers offering support or simply inquiring about my well-being.
How does art help in a war? What is its role?
— Art may seem insignificant compared to military and volunteer efforts, but when servicemen and women find inspiration in my work, it reassures me of its value. Art serves as a form of positive propaganda and historical record. Just as Nil Khasevych’s images from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) have become part of our collective memory, art today helps shape our narrative and provide emotional support during wartime.
Original version published on November 24, 2022 in collaboration with Online media outlet Svidomi.