Echoes of War

War has always existed in Art as an Image. From Callot to Goya to Dix, to e.g. contemporary Dutch painter Ronald Ophuis. Why? Because it always just has been there. In fact, it is more like an exception, that we all -apart from the former Yugoslavia- enjoyed almost eight decades of serenity and peace in Europe! But now again, the monster is breathing in our necks, alas…
Nowadays, artists know an enormous scope of techniques, styles, and media. They can make more intellectual abstractions of war, or bluntly show their fears, resilience, or pride. And who can nowadays better “echo” their hurt and horror, their hope and their pride about war, than Ukrainian artists themselves? 

Instigated by Mihaïl Zablodsky, he and two other Ukrainian and two Dutch artists: Natalia Grezina, Natalia Chernohuz, Vincent van Oss and Paksha van Slooten will reflect on "War" in the Bouwput Art-space in Amsterdam. They will show several possible artistic “Echoes of War”. Mind you that echo is a sound and -unlike images- you cannot turn away from it, sound is inescapable. Like war, it permeates every part of life.

Text by Paksha van Slooten. Poster by Natalia Chernohuz