Bratislava, Slovakia:
On daily basis Russia wages struggle on Ukraine, Mykola Kovalenko makes an anti-war poster.
The Ukrainian graphic artist has caught to the pledge since Russian troops invaded in February.
Kovalenko makes use of easy shapes to create posters that pack a punch.
The 49-year-old, who has lived in Slovakia since 2015, mentioned he initially wished to take up arms towards Russia.
“Then I realised that I will be extra helpful doing what I’m good at. My Kalashnikov is my pen,” he mentioned.
His mom and a sister nonetheless reside in part of the Zaporizhzhia area in southern Ukraine underneath Russian occupation.
“Possibly as soon as per week they ship me a textual content message saying they’re nonetheless alive.
“Lots of my mates are preventing the Russians, a few of them have already been killed,” mentioned Kovalenko, who was head designer on the Saatchi & Saatchi promoting company in Ukraine earlier than he moved away.
– ‘I want to cease’ –
The award-winning artist’s posters embody one to mark Worldwide Ladies’s Day on March 8 exhibiting a bullet budding like a flower.
“That is the current Putin despatched to Ukrainian girls,” he mentioned.
A stylised coffin partially revealing the Russian president’s identify is certainly one of his best-known posters.
Putin’s demise “is unquestionably one option to finish the struggle,” he mentioned, calling the president “an emblem of aggression and struggle all around the world.”
Kovalenko watches the information each morning, and he by no means lacks inspiration for his collection.
Considered one of his posters depicts a clenched fist resembling a flower, one other a hand with three fingers lacking and the remaining two exhibiting a victory register Ukraine’s nationwide colors.
“That is the value Ukraine has to pay for its victory,” Kovalenko mentioned.
Considered one of his first anti-war posters exhibits a Ukrainian flag partially vanishing.
He created the piece a few days earlier than the beginning of the Russian invasion.
“That is how I felt concerning the state of affairs,” he mentioned.
He sells his artwork to lift cash to help Ukraine and his posters at the moment are exhibited all through Slovakia.
However regardless of the posters’ success, he would relatively not should make any extra and desires the struggle to finish instantly.
“I want to cease this collection proper now,” he mentioned.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Ukrainian Soldier’s ‘Pikachu Dance’ On Battlefield Amidst Explosions And Gunfire