Face of War

September 5, 2015September 8, 2015

Ukrainian artist Daria Marchenko create picture “Face of War”, using about 5,000 cartridges of different calibers for different types of weapons used at the war in Ukraine. The painting was created by in response to the events of 2014 in Ukraine, when Russia showed aggression and attacked the eastern part of the country, thus creating the largest military conflict in Europe since the Second World War endangering world security.

This anti-war painting (size 240×170 cm),  is created from cartridge cases taken at the different parts of  front. Each element of picture of could have killed or have saved a soldier’s life. Unique of its kind and the only in the world mosaic – installation, which depicts the face of a cynical political tyrant Vladimir Huylo is the first in the history work of art made in such a technique and style and has a philosophical conceptual meaning:

It does not matter how the war would be enlighten, and how it would look – it consists of the lives of innocent people.

The painting encourages everyone who takes up arms to think about the role of the bloody political ambitions in the history of civilization, and that nothing is more precious than human life.

The first picture in the series «5 Elements of War» («Face of War», «Brain of War», «Spirit of War»,  «Heart of War» …and the fifth element will be opened after 4 primary elements will be shown.)

A short novel, which is an integral part of the “Five Elements of War” series, will be published soon. It contains seven stories of people who have brought the cartridge cases from the front line, and have seen the war with their own eyes. Apart from the author’s testimony, you will be able to read the interviews with the sotnyk (commander of a hundred people)  of the advanced barricades of the Maidan and Ukrainian military man from the airport of Donetsk, where the sharp battles took place for 242 days. You will be touched by the story of people who survived in the Illovaisk entrapment, the organizer of the one of the largest Ukrainian volunteer organizations “Logistics headquarters”, as well as an interview with the one of the best snipers in Ukraine. These narratives are full of incredible details. They will allow you to understand how to looks aggression against Ukraine, will help you to have a closer look on the “Faces of War” and make your own impressions.