The one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia was observed in the Lily Gallery on the evening of February 24. Ukrainian food and drinks were served, lived experiences of individuals, including two Davidson College students who were present during the initial invasion were retold, traditional Ukrainian musical performances took place, and a silent art auction happened in order to generate funds for medical equipment to send to those fighting.
While the Lily Gallery was filled to the brim with roughly 300 people, all talking and milling about before any performances took place, my attention ended up on the silent art auction taking place in the farthest-back section of the room. There were several tables lined up, covered in various paintings, some directly referencing Ukraine and its culture, others making more-subtle hints toward key aspects of its history, people, or major events that shaped it. These included the sun shining over beautiful fields of wheat, the Ukrainian flag with its trident emblazoned upon the center, and on the more somber side, the skeleton of a fallen soldier lying in the mud and surrounded by poppies, still wearing their war gear.
Though there was the obvious purpose of selling this art to purchase much-needed medical supplies for the war, I also believe there was much more intent behind the usage of art to accomplish this. There was no one put in charge of explaining each piece, but rather a paper describing the works and detailing the respective artist’s motives and purpose behind their creation(s). Given the number of people attending the event, it would have shocked me if those in charge of planning the night assumed everyone was well-rounded with regard to art exposure of any sort. Furthermore, as so much of the art was specifically oriented toward a country that sits on the other side of the world, it was interesting to watch and listen to people speak to one another about each piece, some seemingly understanding the intent of the artist, while others were utterly clueless as to the purpose of certain paintings. I believe the choice to utilize these specific art pieces for this silent auction was made with the goal of instilling an appreciation for more than just the easy-to-see aspects of Ukrainian culture. Having developed a strong interest in art over the first semester at Davidson, I was enamored with many of the artworks. That said, my knowledge and understanding of Ukrainian culture were still lacking considerably, even with Russian language studies and the pieces of Slavic culture it includes. Being able to walk around and look at numerous pieces of what were essentially bits and pieces of a nation on canvas allowed me to see through the eyes of a Ukrainian, to a degree. I was able to catch a glimpse of how they see their country and the struggles it has faced and continues to face. It was both an inspiring and enlightening experience, to say the least.
Watching the other attendees’ expressions and listening to conversations around me, I got the sense that I was not the only one who had gained some insight into Ukraine’s culture, as well as a newfound admiration for the love their show toward their country. The usage of art as the primary means of gaining money for the war effort was certainly a brilliant one, as it undoubtedly enabled more lives to be saved with new medical equipment, but it also garnered attention toward Ukraine from people who are essentially outsiders, people who may not have known very little about the country prior to this night.
