Ukrainians seeking cultural escape from war’s brutality find comfort and resilience at Kyiv art fair

A contemporary art fair has been held in the Ukrainian capital with an unusual premise: that art can help a society come to terms with what war has made normal. “Holding the event during wartime means not waiting for a better moment, but working with reality as it is,” said Anna Avetova, director of the Art Kyiv fair. “In this context, art does not stand apart from life—it helps make sense of the present, preserve cultural continuity, and lay the groundwork for the future.” Titled This is Normal, the fair has become a space where Ukrainians try to make sense through painting, sculpture, and conversation of a reality in which missile strikes, death, and loss have quietly become a part of ordinary life. Hundreds of works filled the space at the Lavra Gallery, from oddly shaped sculptures to paintings spanning from expressive abstraction to surreal portraiture and atmospheric landscapes. Notably, not a single booth is dedicated specifically to the war. That was a deliberate choice. “The war is always in the air; we just really didn’t want to make a point of mentioning it,” Avetova said. “Art is one of the things that keeps us human. It sustains us and warms our souls when things are very hard.” The organizers said the event was also intended to provide a boost to the domestic art market, which had already stagnated under COVID-19 before the Russian war made things worse. The market is gradually beginning to recover, and the fair is one example of how Ukrainian artists are ready not only to speak about the war, but to sell paintings. Art Kyiv describes itself as a cultural platform where artistic experience, public discourse, and contemporary Ukrainian reality meet. In a hall occasionally pierced by air-raid sirens warning of Russian strikes, the event has united Ukraine’s most prominent galleries, artists, collectors, and cultural institutions. It is being held for only the second time since the war began after launching in October. This article was provided by The Associated Press.