The 2023 exhibition Ireland Through the Eyes of Ukrainian Artists brought work by more than 20 displaced Ukrainian artists to An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny.
The participants, both professional and amateur, used acrylic, oil, pastel and mixed media to describe life in Ireland against the continuing background of war.
A new country observed through artistic practice
The works responded to Irish landscapes, climate and people, while also recording the difficult process of adjusting to displacement and personal change.
Some contributors had never exhibited publicly before arriving in Ireland.
Curator Svitlana Babenko described the exhibition as a way for Ukrainian artists to speak directly to Irish audiences about how the country affected and inspired them.
Cultural exchange rather than one-way hospitality
The exhibition was opened by Ukraine’s ambassador to Ireland, Larysa Gerasko, and local civic representatives.
A related concert brought Irish and Ukrainian dance and music together, with young performers participating around International Children’s Day.
Works were offered for sale, with proceeds going directly to the artists. Some participants chose to support children’s creative programmes in Ukraine.
The exhibition was supported by local intercultural, community and arts organisations.
Ireland Through the Eyes of Ukrainian Artists presented displacement through more than scenes of conflict. The artists recorded the experience of learning another landscape, finding new audiences and sustaining creative identity while separated from home.
The project also resisted the idea that refugees enter a country only as recipients of help. Through their work, the participants contributed to Ireland’s cultural life and created a genuine exchange between communities.