A GROUP of Frome-based and Ukrainian artists, Artists in Dialogue, who held three exhibitions last year using the powerful language of art designed to keep the war on Ukraine at the top of people’s minds, have changed their focus of their project to the ‘Vocabulary of Hope’.
Artists in Dialogue is made up of artists from Frome and Ukraine (displaced across Europe and Ukraine) and the group say that their new project is called Vocabulary of Hope to reflect the feelings of Ukrainian artists in the group.
Artist Tetiana Kovalenka (displaced in Czechia) explains, “The war continues and it continues to bring grief to our land. But I no longer have the resource to constantly experience collective pain.”
Since the summer, the group’s conversations have focused on agreed themes; Uniting Vocabulary, The Right to Live, Solidarity, Time of Trials and of course Hope!
From July 2022 to July 2023 three Artists in Dialogue exhibitions were held. The first in March saw CONNECTION ЄДНАННЯ, at the Silk Mill, Frome showcasing giclée limited edition prints produced from original project artwork.
The second in June at Frome Town Hall during Refugee Week and the third also in June supported by Rabka-Zdrój Town Council in Poland where the group shared their artwork during the quadripartite town-twinning event. Frome artists Karin Campagna and Pam Warner travelled to Poland to meet with three of the Ukrainian artists: Galyna Daniliuk, Svitlana Poluynovava and Vlad Voropai.
Karin Campagna said, “Meeting one another in person was an amazing, emotional and exhilarating time. Communication proved to be a fun challenge and luckily, we enjoyed the support of Karyna, a wonderful young Ukrainian musician displaced in Rabka-Zdrój. The bond between Artists in Dialogue strengthened and secured by the experience.”
The exhibitions were made possible by sponsorship, donations and support from many local businesses, individuals and organisations.
Now the Frome-based artists are planning for the future. In December (1st-3rd) they will be at the Silk Mill Christmas Fair, in March 2024 (16th-22nd) they will be part of the third Frome Kindness Festival and in June 2024 (7th-9th) they will be in Murrhardt, Germany for the town’s Januariusmarkt.
Artists in Dialogue: War Vocabulary is a not-for-profit community group. War Vocabulary limited edition giclée prints can be purchased with profits from print sales enabling the project to continue. For more information visit www.artistsindialogue.org or email artistsindialogue. info@gmail.com
