Unbreakable: Resilience and Resolve in the Midst of Chaos Description:

“Unbreakable:  Resilience and Resolve in the Midst of Chaos” is my tribute to the unrelenting resolve and unbreakable spirit of the Ukrainian people during this Russian-Ukraine war.  

We have been bombarded with photographs and news footage of the horrific destruction of Ukrainian cities and villages since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.  There have been powerful images burned into our eyes of the war crimes committed against Ukraine’s civilian population – the bombing of a maternity hospital and theatre in Mariupol, and the targetted attack on a train station in Kramatorsk to name just a few.  The mass exodus of Ukrainians alone to surrounding countries and abroad illustrates the devastating effects of war on the civilian population.

While the images of war-torn cities, uprooted civilians, and graphic scenes convey the brutality of this war, the visuals and stories reflecting the spirit and hope of the Ukrainian people are just as compelling.  I was particularly struck by the photos I came across of Ukrainian statues that were covered in sandbags. 

This attempt by museums and local authorities to protect historic statues is a testament to the rich history of Ukraine’s independent culture, heritage, and traditions.  When Russian forces began to invade Ukraine’s major cities, many locals rushed to protect heritage sites, cultural institutions, and national monuments.  Some galleries even stowed away precious artwork in basements to safeguard them against being destroyed.  This simple act was a touching reminder of the determination of a people to preserve their identity and way of life and became the inspiration for my painting.

I decided to use a statue of a woman that is turned away from the viewer as one of the subjects in my painting because her body language symbolizes elegance, grace, and strength.  She is turned away from the viewer and leans into a wall peppered with shrapnel damage.  I was drawn to this statue because we can’t see her face, making it easier for onlookers to see her in many different roles – mother, daughter, sister, or friend.  She represents the will and spirit of the Ukraine:  strong, indestructible and full of grace.  I decided to paint glimpses of the Ukrainian flag peaking through cracks on her surface to symbolize that no matter the damage that is inflicted on the Ukraine, it will not destroy or tarnish their resolve to protect their homeland.  

While the statue is turned away from the invisible onslaught of bombs in an act of self-preservation, she does not retreat but qutie literally, leans into the shell shocked wall and stands her ground.  The sandbags surrounding the bottom half of her body mimic the sandbags that have been placed around many of Ukraine’s historic monuments.  While the statue I chose to use in the composition is not Ukrainian, her body language and stance capture the emotions I was trying to evoke in the artwork.  I painted sandbags covering this statue as a reminder of the importance to many Ukrainians of preserving the art and cultural landmarks of their people.  In particular, the sandbags were inspired by the ones used to cover the current statue of Duke de Richelieu, the 19th Century governor and founder of the city of Odessa.  

The wall that acts as the backdrop behind the statue is covered with shelling damage and reveals the destructive path of the bombing.  The opening behind the statue is sun-filled to illustrate that brighter days still lay ahead even though it seems like an impossible idea right now.  I chose to include sunflowers bursting through the cracks in the wall because even in the midst of war, life finds a way of breaking through and offering glimmers of hope.  As well, sunflowers are Ukraine’s national flower.  Some of the petals float up towards the statue, as if drawn to the light and strength that she represents.

The main focal point of my painting is the portrait of a little girl named Ioulia, who I placed in the bottom left.  She is based on a photograph taken by Ed Jones.  In the original photograph, Ioulia is gazing up as her family boards a train headed to Lviv.  She is one of four children who escaped Mariupol with her family on foot, in hopes of finding safety elsewhere in Ukraine.  

I included her in the composition because she seems to embody innocence, fear, sadness, and hope.  But in her eyes and expression, there also seems to be the realization of a hard truth:  that her life has been forever changed by this war.  Her gaze leads the viewer’s eye up the tower of sandbags to the statue shielding itself against the desecrated wall.  I changed the colour of her toque to reflect the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag, which ties in with the bits of flag showing beneath the cracked surface of the statue.  

The connection between Ioulia and the statue is that the statue represents a maternal figure, intent on protecting her children from the brutal reality of war.  The statue takes on the brunt of the attack in an effort to safeguard her country’s culture, identity and independence.  Ioulia is a reminder of the children that have had to witness and endure unimaginable experiences and losses during this war.  Her eye path looks beyond the statue above her, symbolizing the idea that we must continue to look forward even in the darkest of times.  

I hope that this painting illustrates the strength of the human spirit in times of war and inspires an appreciation of Ukrainian resilience and resolve to protect their cultural identity and heritage in the midst of chaos.