Through the Eyes of the Displaced: Contemporary Art and Political Change for Ukrainian Displaced Persons

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The Russian invasion of Ukraine created 6 million refugees, and displaced 8 million people internally. But beyond the numbers, how are their stories told? And how, in the times of media saturation, can those stories command empathy from local populations, which may themselves experience economic hardship? Our project investigates these questions through the research residency at the University of Liverpool by artists Andrii Dostliev and Lia Dostlieva. They are hosted at the University by philosopher Vid Simoniti, whose recent book ‘Artists Remake the World’, offers a new theory of political communication through art. 

 

Partnering with Open Eye gallery in Liverpool and the NGO Ukrainian Photography, the group will conduct workshops with local community, academics and curators. Our outputs—a new artwork, catalogue essay and report on political self-expression of displaced persons through art—will be featured at the Ukrainian Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2024. Expanding Simoniti’s philosophical work on political art, the project thereby explores the advantages and limits of facilitating political understanding through art.