«Children»
Alina Zamanova
150 x 88 x 8 cm
Oil on glass, wood
2022-2024
In the midst of chaos and destruction, art has the power to rescue the remnants of the past and transform them into poignant reflections of our common humanity. The painting installation "Children" emerges from the fragments of a discarded window frame, which the artist found during the evacuation of the village of Izky, Ukraine, when a full-scale war of aggression began in 2022. A window frame that served as a portal to the outside world is now an intimate and traumatic portal where the stories of children affected by war unfold. Each glass section is painted with oil depicting the faces of Ukrainian children who witnessed the horrors and war. Their gazes penetrate the glass to make contact with the viewer. These children embody a paradoxical duality through their portraits. On the one hand, their steadfast resilience shines through as they confront the viewer with unwavering strength. The traces of the experience, carved on their faces, tell about the endurance and ability of the human spirit to withstand difficulties. On the other hand, their youth and innocence are palpable, reminding us that behind the facade of bravery lies a broken childhood—a fragility that can never be forgotten. Fragile glass, once a symbol of protection, becomes a metaphor for the vulnerability of these children. This reflects the fragility of their existence.
