August 23, 2022

"Flowers for Hope": Healing or Harming?


"Flowers for Hope": Healing or Harming?
Sunflowers painted on the wreckage of cars in Irpin, Ukraine. Twitter, NEXTA

Ukrainian and American artists paint sunflowers on burned cars in Irpin in the Kyiv region, where 269 civilians have died Russia's war on Ukraine. This is the first mural of their project "Flowers for Hope," which aims to lift spirits and raise money for local humanitarian efforts.

American painter Trek Kelly gathered several Ukrainian artists to paint murals in areas ravaged by the war, as a way to honor Ukrainians who have died. Elena Yanko, an artist from Netishyn, explained: "We are looking for different locations where the consequences of hostilities are most shown... There we draw sunflowers – the Ukrainian national symbol of the memory of fallen soldiers – in order to salute those people who died... people who carried out the evacuation from Irpin; people who survived those terrible events; people whose cars have been burned." 

In addition to the murals, the artists plan to sell digital images of the work as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) to financially support the community. "The money will be directed to the restoration of the Irpin House of Culture," Kelly said, "to the support of women who survived the occupation and to various humanitarian projects."

Though city authorities are offering locations for future murals, the project remains controversial. The previous owners of one of the cars used in the mural thanked the artists "for repurposing the cars into something more beautiful." However, other locals are offended by efforts to beautify the devastation caused by the war.

You Might Also Like

Emma Kaplon

Emma Kaplon

Emma Kaplon is a student of Russian at the University ff North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Spot the Difference
  • April 22, 2022

Spot the Difference

Zoya Cherkassky-Nnadi is creating pieces of art comparing the Ukraine she knew in childhood and the war-riddled Ukraine we see today.
An NFT to Unite Under
  • March 12, 2022

An NFT to Unite Under

An NFT of the Ukrainian flag raises over $6.7 million for the war against Russia.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955