Global Premiere of the Ukrainian Art Exhibition: Beast of War, Bird of Hope

The Aspen Institute​ and its international partner, Aspen Institute Kyiv, are proud to present the Beast of War​, Bird of Hope, a Ukrainian art exhibition, premiering in Washington, D.C. at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from February 1-5, 2023.

Following a summer opening at the Institute’s Aspen Meadows campus in Aspen, Colorado, the exhibit provides the opportunity to see visual representations of the war and the devastating and lasting impacts it has on Ukraine. The show is curated by Alisa Lozhkina, the former Deputy Director and Chief Curator at Mystetskyi Arsenal, the largest museum and exhibition complex in Ukraine. The artwork, which is almost entirely for sale, features ​different forms of media including paintings, watercolors, photography, digital prints, and three​-dimensional art from twelve leading Ukrainian artists.

All of the art shown has been created since the start of the ​Russian invasion into Ukraine, save for two paintings by Maria Prymachenko — for which this exhibit is named. During the first weeks of the war, Russian troops destroyed the museum where dozens of her works were kept. Maria Prymachenko (1909-1997) is one of the most prominent self-taught artists in Europe. Her works have been recognized by UNESCO, praised by Picasso, and she is an icon of Ukrainian art and culture. In 2022, a Prymachenko painting was included in the Venice Biennale’s main exhibition. This exhibition marks the American debut of the two Prymachenko paintings at the Aspen Institute. Bird, which resides in the United States, has only been shown in Toronto, Canada in 2007-2008. Beast of War had not left Ukraine in its fifty years of existence until recently.

The exhibition will also allow the Institute to highlight our partner, Aspen Institute Kyiv, that has proudly continued its operations despite current circumstances, as well as uplift the voices of Ukrainian artists.

Free guided tours of the Kennedy Center are provided daily, with more information on the Center’s website.

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For any questions, please contact Danielle Baussan, danielle.baussan@aspeninstitute.org or Jonathon Price, jonathon.price@aspeninstitute.org