Drawing the Invisible: Visual Reflections on War and Reconciliation in Ukraine
This article examines the role of visual art in addressing the layered experiences of Russia’s war on Ukraine’s social and emotional fabric, exploring its potential to facilitate the re-establishment of a new, commonly acceptable social agreement. It focuses on engaging adults from all regions of th...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Наукові записки Наукма: Історія і теорія культури |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://nrpcult.ukma.edu.ua/article/view/334974 |
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| Summary: | This article examines the role of visual art in addressing the layered experiences of Russia’s war on Ukraine’s social and emotional fabric, exploring its potential to facilitate the re-establishment of a new, commonly acceptable social agreement. It focuses on engaging adults from all regions of the country, including those in occupied and annexed territories, to create and anonymously share representations of the self and the other through visual forms (e.g., ad-hoc sketches and amateur artwork). The findings from a participatory art project, presented in this article, are used to assess the perceptions of individuals at the grassroots level regarding their own identity and that of their adversaries, as well as their emotional responses after revealing these perceptions through the artworks they produced.
While the visual data obtained from this participatory art project is recognized as a socially engaged form of qualitative inquiry, it also proves to be more accessible and comprehensive than traditional methods such as deep interviews and questionnaires, particularly in conflict settings where language becomes increasingly devoid of meaning and words are often reduced to inflammatory or clichéd expressions. The article posits that artistic self-reflection in conflict contexts provides a deeper understanding of the drivers and motives of both the self and the other, leading to inner transformation that may, in turn, facilitate future conflict transformation. Additionally, peace researchers can use such artistic practices to identify and resist the violence perpetuated through media and entertainment, as reflected in the non-artistic expressions of conflict participants. |
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| ISSN: | 2617-8907 |