5/26/2023 0 Comments Stand strong together artHere in Norway, the Young Artists’ Society (UKS) issued a statement proclaiming their solidarity with Ukraine and with friends and colleagues in the country. More specifically, they called for a boycott of Russian governmental and oligarchic institutions in the sphere of art, while also issuing an appeal to nurture relationships with allies across national borders. In a statement, the East Europe Biennial Alliance – a network comprising the Kyiv Biennale as well as contemporary art biennials in Prague, Warsaw, Budapest and Riga – urged the international art community to support the Ukrainian people by all possible means. We protest against the ongoing and escalating Putin-led Russian aggression against the people living in Ukraine.” A group of cultural workers in Berlin started a petition, stating that “We, cultural workers in Berlin and other places, raise our voices to state that we stand strong and firm with Ukraine. In the field of art, several have already become actively involved. Today, we have postponed the publication of planned content in order to take in the dramatic situation, and to stand with the Ukrainian people and with artists and cultural workers in Ukraine. What little we can do at Kunstkritikk is to devote space and attention to the matter. ![]() It is easy to feel powerless in the face of the madness of great powers, but in such situations it is crucial that everyone does what little they can. ![]() He may have a point in that resistance inside Russia has the greatest potential to make a difference, but surely we also need a strong international peace movement. Norwegian national TV, NRK, reported him as saying that only the anti-war movement in Russia can save the world. Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov, editor of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, fears that events will escalate into a nuclear war. More initiatives and manifestations are planned in the time to come. Obviously, large sections of the Russian population do not want this war either. Particularly noteworthy were the protests in Russia, where large numbers of people defied the ban on demonstrating against the war. Around Europe and in the Nordic capitals, there were protest rallies outside Russian embassies yesterday, bringing together protesters from the entire political spectrum and involving the participation of Ukrainians and Russians alike. Yesterday, many citizens convened in impromptu support rallies or showed their support for the Ukrainian people on social media. ![]() Naturally, condemnations of the war and Russia’s blatant violation of international law have been quick in coming – not only from political quarters, but also from ordinary people around the world. Large sections of the population are fleeing their homes. At breakfast today, we learned that these forces have reached the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. After a long period of conflict and negotiations between Russia and NATO allies, President Putin scrubbed away whatever thin veneer of democratic respectability he wore and deployed Russian fighter jets and ground forces in a full military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. Yesterday, Thursday 24 February, the world woke up to a new war in Europe.
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