Women In Black Against the War (2022-2023)

“Women In Black Against the War”, 2022. Watercolor, paper, 113x70 cm each work.

“Women in Black” is a series of watercolors dedicated to a wave of quiet protests that engaged women dressed in black, holding white flowers as if in mourning. These protests against the war in Ukraine took place in different cities of Russia and around the world. In photographs of the recent Russian protests I used for these works, the heads are often cropped out, so the authorities cannot identify the activists. The word “War” is banned in Russia in discussions of the situation, so protesters often hide this word behind asterisks or other slogans, for example, in calling for peace. Anti-war protests in Russia are not that visible from the outside, because all mass demonstrations are violently suppressed, and the protesters face criminal charges. Even in these circumstances, dissent comes through in new disguises. I created these works to share my belief that it is possible to raise your voice against injustice under any kind of pressure, even if your protest looks like a wake. I stand in solidarity with everyone who has the courage to protest the war in any possible manner.

Installation view: