The exhibition “Theotokion Icons on Ammunition Crates” by Sonya Atlantova and Oleksandr Klymenko is an artistic meditation on the theme of the Russo-Ukrainian war. The crates on which the icons are painted were brought from the combat zone. Thus, these images serve as silent yet eloquent witnesses to all the tragic events that Ukraine is currently experiencing.

The exhibition became possible thanks to the initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. Symbolically, its venue was chosen to be the Kiev Pechersk Lavra – Ukraine’s national sanctuary – the possession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Mother of Jesus Christ, who is considered the direct guardian and protector of the monastery. The Lavra is the Assumption Lavra, symbolizing the love of sons and daughters for their mothers and the fulfillment of God’s Commandment to honor one’s parents.

The main idea of the project is to transform death—the embodiment of which is the ammunition crate—into life, which in the Ukrainian spiritual tradition is personified by an icon. The image of the Theotokos Mary, who gives birth to, cares for, and protects the Holy Child and serves as the patroness of Ukrainian mothers, becomes the antithesis of the invading war, a symbol of hope and victory, for life always triumphs over death.

During the Russian aggression, which has brought an incredible amount of death, destruction, and sorrow to Ukraine, the mother with her child in her arms has become a symbol of innocent suffering, endless grief, ordeal, and flight. At the same time, it serves as a powerful call for protection, a cry for help, and the most important marker distinguishing between evil and good.

This cycle of icons also reflects the tragedy of loss, as not all defenders will return from the battlefield. Thousands of mothers will forever be left alone with their own grief, misfortune, and tragedy.

The Theotokion icon, as an archetypal image central to Christian and post-Christian cultures in Europe, America, and parts of Africa and Asia, is not only a religious attribute but also, above all, a cultural phenomenon and an artistic art object. Transcending the confines of the religious sphere, it becomes understandable to anyone, both in Ukraine and abroad—in Europe and America. The exhibition has been presented in 20 countries, 93 cities, and 164 venues.

The icons on ammunition crates by Sonya Atlantova and Oleksandr Klymenko have been seen by the Pope, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, King Charles III of the United Kingdom, as well as by numerous presidents, prime ministers, heads of parliaments, and leading politicians of many countries around the world.

The concept of the project combines seemingly incompatible elements: the attributes of modern warfare and an ancient artistic language that dates back to European medieval times. In this way, the Russo-Ukrainian war is contemplated against the backdrop of Ukrainian and even European history of the last millennium.

Sonya Atlantova is an artist and writer. She works in the field of monumental and easel painting, book graphics, and installations, and has participated in numerous exhibitions in Ukraine and abroad. Her prose works have been shortlisted for several literary awards in Ukraine and abroad, including the “Book of the Year” by the BBC. For her work on the project “Icons on Ammunition Crates,” she was awarded the Order of “For Merit” (Third Class).

Oleksandr Klymenko is an artist, art critic, and writer (under the pseudonym Olaf Klemenssen). He is a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. He works in the field of easel and monumental painting. He is the author of the idea and one of the curators of the project “Icons on Ammunition Crates,” for which he has also been awarded the Order of “For Merit” (Third Class).