Art as an Existential Means of Perception and Experience of the Tragedy of War

Authors

  • Aneta Pawłowska Institute of Art History, University of Łódź, Poland
  • Andrii Dmytrenko National University "Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic", Ukraine
  • Oleksandr Ivashko Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, Ukraine
  • Tetyana Yevdokimova Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, Ukraine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26485/AI/2025/27/17

Keywords:

war art, trauma, de-coïncidence, expression, Ukraine.

Abstract

The article analyses the role of art during the Russian-Ukrainian war (2022–2025) as a tool for survival, therapy and testimony. In extreme situations, such as war, artistic creation becomes a way of processing trauma and regaining a sense of meaning. Referring to François Jullien's concept of dé-coïncidence and the reflections of Władysław Tatarkiewicz and Irena Wojnar, the authors show how art allows individuals to break away from the overwhelming reality and open space for action and reflection. The case studies of three Ukrainian artists are presented: Yulia Ivashko, Oleksandr Ivashko and Serhii Belinsky. They present various creative strategies: from escapist images of idealised nature, through expressive abstractions, to symbolic photographs depicting war without people. The authors also reflect on the tension between the therapeutic and artistic value of war art, pointing out that this boundary is often blurred and that authenticity and emotional power become its greatest value.

Author Biographies

Aneta Pawłowska, Institute of Art History, University of Łódź, Poland

 PhD after habilitation, Faculty of Philosophy and History, Director of Institute of History of Art, University of Łódź, Poland. She specializes in African art and culture. Her research interests include contemporary art, 20th century gender art, and history and theory of collections. Her current research focuses on making works of art accessible to people with disabilities. Email: aneta.pawlowska@uni.lodz.pl. Selected publications:

  1. Studia o sztuce polskiej, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego Łódź: 2017;
  2. Andrzej Jocz (1941-2019) ocalić od zapomnienia, Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódz­kiego 2021;
  3. “New Art” in Łódź in the Interwar Period, in: City of Modernity. Łódź, ed. K. Badowska et al., "Studien zur Multikulturalität", vol. 6, Harrassowitz Verlag Wiesbaden 2023, pp. 355--367; 4. J. A. Pawłowska, Barbara Hoff. Królowa kreatywności, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódz­kiego, Łódź 2024 [with J. Dobkowska-Kubacka].

Andrii Dmytrenko, National University "Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic", Ukraine

PhD, associate professor at the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”. Author of more than 170 scientific publications. Scientific interests and fields of scientific activity: history of architecture, regional peculiarities of national architecture, architecture of buildings and structures, demographic aspects of spatial planning. E-mail: ab.Dmytrenko_AU@nupp.edu.ua1.

  1. Dyomin M., Chernyshev D., Dmytrenko A., Kuzmenko T., Chang P. (2020) A break-through in landscape design: from traditional garden of ancient despots to the avant-garde "garden of Cubism", “Landscape Architecture and Art”, 16(16), pp. 70-79.
  2. Gryglewski P., Ivashko Y., Chernyshev D., Chang P., Dmytrenko A. (2020) Art as a Message Realized Through Various Means of Artistic Expression, “Art Inquiry. Recherches sur les arts”, XXII, pp. 57-88.
  3. Ivashko Y., Dmytrenko A., Paprzyca K., Krupa M., Kozłowski T. (2020) Problems of Historical Cities Heritage Preservation: Chernihiv Art Nouveau Buildings. “International Journal of Conservation Science”, 11(4), pp. 953-964.
  4. Żychowska M., Ivashko Y., Chang P., Dmytrenko A., Kulichenko N., Xin M. Z. (2021) The influence of traditional Chinese landscape architecture on the image of small architectural forms in Europe, “Landscape Architecture and Art”, 18 (18), pp. 59-68.

Oleksandr Ivashko , Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, Ukraine

PhD; an architect and artist. Senior Lecturer at the Kyiv National Univer­sity of Construction and Architecture. Scientific interests and fields of scientific activity: street art, contemporary art, art clusters. E-mail: ghok2233@gmail.com

  1. Iwaszko O. (2018) Społeczna Przyroda Nowych Artystycznych Kierunków w Miejskim Śro­dowisku, “Przestrzeń/Urbanistyka/Architektura”, 2, pp. 167-176.
  2. Ivashko O., Perehuda Ye. (2016) Street art as a factor of cultural development and an element of symbolic politics in post-revolutionary Ukraine, [in:] Stosunki międzykulturowe. Tom 1. Strategie bezpieczeństwa i komunikacji we współczesnym świecie, Zielona Góra, pp. 155-174.
  3. Ivashko O. (2016) Możliwości użycia sztuki ulicznej we współczesnym dostosowaniu zam­ków i twierdz, [in:] Current issues in research, conservation and restoration of historic fortifications, Chełm-Lviv, pp. 86-90.
  4. Dyomin M., Ivashko O. (2021) Street Art as a new Phenomenon of Art – a Means of Centrification of the Urban Environment, “Art Inquiry. References sur les arts”, XXI (XXX), pp. 129-148.

Tetyana Yevdokimova, Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, Ukraine

PhD, associate professor at the Kyiv National University of Con­struction and Architecture. Scientific interests and fields of scientific activity: history of art, contemporary art, culturology. E-mail: ievdokimova.tv@knuba.edu.ua

  1. S. Wang, I. Sandu, K. Paprzyca, O. Ivashko, O. Kravchuk, T. Yevdokimova (2024). Genesis of the Planning Structure and Ceilings of Dunhuang Sanctuaries. “International Journal of Conservation Science”, 15 (s. iss.), pp. 349-370.
  2. S. Wang, I. Sandu, Y. Ivashko, M. Krupa, A. Krukowiecka-Brzęczek, T. Yevdokimova, S. Stavroyany, O. Kravchuk, A.V. Sandu. Methods for the Preservation and Restoration of Dunhu­ang Wall Paintings: Foreign Experience (2024) “International Journal of Conservation Science”, 15 (1), pp. 731-748.

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Published

2025-12-17

Issue

Vol. 27 (2025): De-coïncidence in Art: A Challenge or a Solution?

Section

Part III. Case Studies - ARTICLES

License

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