An exhibition titled “Icons of Peace: Artists on the Front Lines in Ukraine” has opened at the prestigious Collège des Bernardins in Paris. This unique exhibition features works created using military equipment that has been in combat zones.
According to the Ukrainian Cultural Center in France on its Facebook page, the opening ceremony was attended by Vadym Omelchenko, Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France; Antoine Arjakovsky, co-director of the “Politics and Religions” research department; and artist and writer Sonya Atlantova.
The exhibition was organized with the support of the French Institute and the Ukrainian Institute in France. Oleksandra and Herman Klymenko presented works that are deeply symbolic due to the material from which they are made—wooden lids from ammunition boxes.
“The artists use fragments bearing the imprint of war to create icons that symbolize memory, peace, and hope. Their work demonstrates humanity’s ability to transform destruction into something new and suffering into meaning,” the organizers note.
In addition to its artistic value, the project has a therapeutic effect, promoting mental recovery and a deeper understanding of the tragedy of war through the lens of spiritual art.
The exhibition at Bernardine College will run until April 6. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
