Olexander Klimenko | St. John the Baptist – SOLD
$3,500.00
OLEXANDER KLIMENKO
St. John the Baptist, 2022
Tempera on wood from ammunition boxes abandoned by Russian soldiers on battle fields near Kyiv and rescued by Ukrainian deminers.
61 x 36.5cm | 24 x 14.4 in
Strict concentrated face of the Saint on a rough board with traces of protective paint that echoes the color scheme of the robe speaks of severe restraint, so necessary in the most difficult times. There is a parallel with the current situation in Ukraine – we all stand ready to deter and defend the country from terrible evil. The face of the Saint is tense, but at the same time glows with inner light.
© Olexander Klimenko
From 2015, Ukrainian artists Sofia Atlantova and Olexander Klimenko have been using wooden fragments from ammunition boxes abandoned by Russian soldiers on the battle fields in Ukraine to paint icons and donating all sale proceeds to mobile hospitals that provide urgent medical care to wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in late February, 2022, their work remains more relevant than ever.