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Innerfields, Dourone, Le Bonnar, Dima Fatum and Ernesto Marenje in KIEV for “Art United Us”

October 6, 2016 Artists

New work today from many artists who are participating in the the mural program in Kiev called Art United Us. In the wake of war and threats of aggression and instability, it is admirable when an art program can be successful and project an aura of hope despite fears.

Innerfields for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Art United Us says they are committed to pursuing positive life-affirming goals and they ask the artists to create works that reinforce themes of peace and brotherhood/sisterhood. The murals in the city are primarily a beautification project and the areas that they appear in are naturally affected by their overall pleasant messages. Here are some of the newest ones.

Innerfields for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

The Berlin based trio who call themselves Innerfields created this figurative piece where one person is there and the other is not, yet they are hugging. “Present” is the name of the multi-story painting and the authors remain vague about it’s possibly meanings, saying it “deals with desire and interpersonal relations.”

Certainly that arrow looks painful physically, but it may also be a metaphor for emotional pain.

Dourone for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Madrid based world traveler DOURONE brought his fantasy figurative portrait work to Kiev on his largest mural ever to promote “Fraternity,” he says. Our more honorable qualities of respect, freedom, and valuing diversity are being gradually eroded, says the artist in a statement.

“These aspects of life are being erased by other aspects like individualism and selfishness.” Perhaps fourteen floors of fraternity will help to re-focus viewers on our shared humanity and foster mutual respect.

Dourone for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Olivier Bonnard for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine in collaboration with Artsynonym and Pangeaseed Foundation. (photo © @dronarium)

“This combines the role of Cossacks in the historical development of Ukraine and the consequences of human impact on the Black Sea,” says artist Olivier Bonnard, whose painting of a vase is in coordination with the organization named Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans. A peon to biodiversity, the deterioration of our seas and killing off of species is creating “dead zones’ where no animals can survive and the artist wants to draw attention to this.

Olivier Bonnard for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine in collaboration with Artsynonym and Pangeaseed Foundation. (photo © @dronarium)

Ernesto Marenje for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Dima Fatum. Detail. ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

Dima Fatumm for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © @dronarium)

ArtUnitedUs is co-founded and curated by Geo Leros and Iryna Kanishcheva.

INO “Instability” in Kiev

August 2, 2016 Artists

The frank pop symbolism and dark sarcasm of artists like Banksy and the early punk graphics of albums and ‘zines has reached into the monumental public murals of today and this new one of a ballerina balancing on a lit bomb is an apt example. Idealized beauty teetering upon disaster is an image that you’ll understand quickly. Certainly everyone has experienced this feeling at one point in life, if not many points.

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INO. Work in progress for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

Greek artist INO may have familiarity with “Instability”, the name of the piece, which could easily apply to economic matters in that country. The symbolism of paintings will of course be interpreted by the viewer, as ever, and instability often applies to our politics, our trade relations, our warring countries and cities, immigration of refugees, access to clean food and water, our shifting environment, even our our banking systems. Ukraine itself has suffered the crisis of war and division in recent years as well, so this mural may evoke emotions which people in Kiev can relate to.

INO. Work in progress for ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

The monochrome figure, split across the middle and slightly shifted to one side, is a common treatment of the subject by INO, as is the accented splash of a bright hue that rides across the composition as different layer. This blue divination of the sky appears to be melting the celestial sphere and dripping downward into the main piece.

Sponsored by the arts organization called ArtUnitedUS, the new mural is 48 meters above the ground and the group says it is the largest that INO has ever created.

INO. Detail. For ArtUnitedUs in Kiev, Ukraine. (photo © INO)

Our sincere thank you to co-founders/curators of Art United Us; Geo Leros, Iryna Kanishcheva, and Waone Interesni Kazki for sharing the project with BSA readers.

ROA and Pastel in Kiev for “Art United Us”

July 14, 2016 Artists

Two new pieces in Kiev from Belgian Street Artist ROA and Argentian Street Artist Pastel, both for the ArtUnitedUs project.

Pastel took some time to study history of the Makhnovist movement during the 1917 Russian Revolution, he says, as well as the libertarian revolution in the Ukraine. Naturally, botany was his chosen method of communicating such complex events.

He also studied local plants for inspiration, and posted this quote on his Facebook page.

“We have all flirted with freedom and, deep inside all of us have the urge to make it a serious relationship. The Anarchist values of individual freedom, grass roots democracy, and the decentralisation of all forms of power are, if anything, more pertinent today then over. See you on the barricades.” -Tony Allen, Kiev

See here a photo he used for a sketch of his new wall during his preparation.

In his familiar monochromatic aerosol hand rendering below ROA depicts local marginalized friends from the animal world. His practice is to study his host city and find the local animals that are not commonly celebrated or thought of very often, in effect giving them a visual voice in the cityscape. His painting took five days and was slowed by a painful foot problem, but ultimately he powered through.

ArtUnitedUs co-founded and curated by Geo Leros, Iryna Kanishcheva, Waone Interesni Kazki

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