Jan. 16, 2026, 6:52 p.m.
("The sky over Kherson". PHOTO courtesy of the project organizers)
The "Skies Over Kherson" project is being actively discussed both in Ukraine and abroad. The exhibitions organized as part of the initiative travel to Ukrainian cities and attract numerous visitors, and the publications are gradually becoming valuable exhibits in the collections of foreign partners. Kherson residents emphasize that this idea is a reflection of the community's "genetic code," a loud voice about the events in their hometown, their personal story of resistance and love. Here, every word is backed by real, deep emotions, and this helps foreigners better understand the reality of the war, who their support is intended for, and what the people who need it are behind it. The authors of the idea emphasize that it is more than a tool of cultural diplomacy. After all, art that grows out of the experience of living under shelling and losing one's home is a documentation of pain and at the same time a testament to hope.
The cultural and artistic project "The Sky Over Kherson" was initiated by Kherson-based NGOs "Information Resource Center "Legal Space" and "Center for Cultural Development "Totem". This is not their first joint idea: since the beginning of the full-scale war, the teams have been constantly implementing large-scale and effective projects that are useful and important for the community.
Project presentation in Kyiv. PHOTO courtesy of the project organizers
"Initially, we talked about Kherson as the only regional center of Ukraine that was under temporary Russian occupation for 8.5 months. Three years have passed. And this communication needs to be updated, because now the city is experiencing shelling and destruction every day. But despite everything, there are those who stayed here and those who are now far away - in other regions or abroad. But they all remain with Kherson in their hearts. And it's important to talk about this not only in the language of statistics, but also through emotional images," says Olena Afanasieva, head of the NGO Totem Cultural Development Center and curator of the Sky Over Kherson project.
During the discussions, the idea arose to create a kind of "conversation about the sky over Kherson." It became a key point, a symbolic space where pain, love, and hope for the city are combined.
Project presentation in Kyiv. PHOTO courtesy of the project organizers
To do this, the organizers selected 100 photos from Kherson that reflect its current state. These are destroyed houses, burnt-out cars, punctured roofs after shelling, as well as iconic places that have been partially or completely damaged. The project team received a large part of the photos from open sources, for example, from the websites of the Suspilne Kherson TV channel or the National Police in Kherson region. However, there were also photos taken by local photographers specifically at the request of the organizers.
Project presentation in Kyiv. PHOTO provided by the project organizers
All the photos were in black and white and contained a huge expanse of sky. It was this space that people were invited to "fill" with their own memories, dreams, and hopes. In other words, to express their feelings for Kherson on paper in the form of drawings, texts, and graphics. Anyone could join in: both professional artists and those who had never had any artistic experience.
"We really wanted Kherson residents to take part. So we organized a series of events in the space of the "HAB "Na Rozum" - a shelter equipped for creative, sports and social activities of residents in a relatively safe area of the city. It became the "heart" of the project. The first workshops took place in the summer of 2025. Later, other hubs and organizations joined the initiative, both in Kherson and beyond. We joined some of the events online to tell more about the idea and concept," says Natalia Bimbirayte, director of the NGO Legal Space Information Resource Center and project manager of the Sky Over Kherson project.
In just a few months, more than 500 works from around the world were collected, as well as many warm responses. The process of creating them also served as a therapeutic function for the initiative's participants.
The book The Sky Over Kherson. PHOTO courtesy of the project organizers
The team carefully processed each drawing: signed, digitized, and systematized. Therefore, the exhibition is constantly updated, presenting visitors with new, previously unseen artworks.
Project curator Olena Afanasieva admits that at first she had some concerns about whether the idea would receive a sufficient response. After all, after more than three years of living away from home, the pain and sadness for pre-war Kherson could have become dulled.
"But all my fears were in vain! I went to Nova Poshta for two months as if it were my job. In the morning and in the evening. Because the drawings kept coming and coming. And each of them is, without exaggeration, unique," notes Olena.
The works are made in different techniques and genres: paints, felt-tip pens, pencils, applications, modeling, etc. There are also modern technological experiments. In particular, some drawings are combined with music: in the catalog, you can point your smartphone at a QR code and hear the composition that the author "encrypted" in his work, conveying his own associations with Kherson. In this way, the project combines traditional artistic means with new forms of expression, creating a multifaceted image of the city.
Presentation of the project in Kyiv. PHOTO courtesy of the project organizers
As for the images, the list is truly endless. The paintings depict the Dnipro floodplains with yellow jugs, storks in nests, and an intertwined watermelon bonfire, symbols of Kherson that preserve the memory of the region's peaceful times. At the same time, there are also drawings about the occupation and military reality of the city: Russian planes in the sky, a raccoon stolen by the Russian military, and empty frames of the taken artworks. All the works can be found in the virtual gallery of the project "Skies over Kherson" - https://cmitotem.wixsite.com/khersonsky.
"The youngest participant of the initiative is three years and eight months old. This is a girl named Olivia, who was born in Kherson on February 24, 2022. Together with her parents, she evacuated the city by boat on the Dnipro River. She does not remember Kherson personally, but her family tells her about it. And she depicted the city based on these stories, mixed with her own imagination. Her childhood drawing was slightly modified by our designer. But it is there. We could not do otherwise, because it is also a part of our common history," says Olena Afanasieva.
The oldest participant is 79 years old. She is a resident of Kherson who joined the project during an event at the Na Rozum Hab. Also, most of the works in Kherson were created by children from the NGO "Autism. Special Universe". Their drawings, according to Olena, are extremely expressive, with their own unique view of life.
"Sky over Kherson" in one of the Kherson hospitals. PHOTO provided by the organizers
Many authors worked from a distance. Among them are three Kherson residents who are currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For security reasons, their names are not disclosed. However, it is known that one of them is a professional artist who painted his works right on the training ground in between classes.
"Not only Kherson residents but also artists from other regions of Ukraine joined the project. Artists from Vinnytsia, who visited Kherson until 2022 during GOGOLFES, created a number of bright works. They felt the city well because they had the opportunity to see it with their own eyes and fall in love with it. At the same time, we have paintings by artist Marharyta Zhurunova, who has never been to the city. She is another proof that Kherson inspires even those who have not yet had the opportunity to visit it in person," says Olena.
"The sky over Kherson" in one of the Kherson hospitals. PHOTO provided by the organizers
Kherson lives on in hearts regardless of distance, and people continue to stick together despite new lives in other places. It is projects such as The Sky Over Kherson that help maintain the necessary communication and remind us of the communities on the front line, where every day the fight for every meter of Ukrainian land is ongoing. This is what Odesa-based artist Kateryna Biletina says about her participation in the project.
"I am a native of Kherson, and I spent my childhood and youth in this city. At the age of 17, I moved to Odesa: I studied here, worked here, and later started my own family. But my mother and many close friends have lived in Kherson all this time and still do. That's why I come back here often. So when I learned about the project, I didn't hesitate for a minute," says Kateryna.
The work of Odesa artist Kateryna Biletina. PHOTO provided by the organizers
The artist created two collages dedicated to "strange beautiful people" - artists, musicians, poets who were forced to leave Kherson because of the war, but hope to return in better times. Then the city will come to life again and flourish with cultural and artistic events. Kateryna depicted them in an allegorical way. She doesn't hide the fact that this is how she felt about this work at the time and completely succumbed to her imagination. She usually works in the portrait genre.
The work of project participant Varvara Stepanova. PHOTO provided by the organizers
"My 18-year-old daughter Varvara Stepanova also joined the project. She was in Kherson after the de-occupation and has a hard time perceiving the mutilated place of her happy memories. This is reflected in her drawing: against the background of the building, small things fly in different directions, as if from an explosion. But it's good to see that despite everything, she maintains relationships with her friends. This shows that no matter what happens, Kherson residents stay together," says Kateryna Biletina.
The Sky Over Kherson project, launched in June 2025, has already presented a virtual gallery, several exhibitions in Lviv, Kyiv, and Kherson, and a book. Its implementation was made possible by the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The catalog and website are available in Ukrainian and English.
"One of the main goals of the project was to create a cultural diplomacy tool that will help representatives of the Kherson region and the city of Kherson in negotiations with international partners, in particular, to attract support for the region. Unfortunately, there is a lack of high-quality cultural products that would tell the world about Kherson," explains project manager Natalia Bimbirayte.
"The Sky Over Kherson" in one of Kherson's habs. PHOTO provided by the organizers
She adds that the peculiarity of the initiative is the presentation of information through artworks - documentary and artistic images that are perceived at the level of emotions. In this way, the team aims to reach out to everyone who sees this product. After all, people are often not ready to read long texts and consciously refuse to accept negative information. Therefore, this approach is the most effective way to convey the truth about what is happening in Kherson.
"Each viewer sees and feels something different, but no one remains indifferent. And it only takes a few seconds or minutes. This is confirmed by the numerous responses we receive during the presentations. The project works - it evokes emotions, creates a connection and helps to talk about Kherson in the language of art. In addition, I would like to note that "The Sky Over Kherson" is a powerful story of Kherson residents uniting in a common cause, creating a single whole from small pieces of different things, giving emotional reset and strength even in such difficult military conditions," summarizes Natalia.
Володимир Шкаєв, Яніна Надточа