New York’s first Ukrainian art gallery showcases contemporary artists affected by the war. From a painting of a naked woman wielding automatic weapons to images of colorful grenades, the gallery in Tribeca sources most of its pieces directly from artists living in the conflict-ravaged country. Its name, Mriya — “dream,” in English — alludes to a beloved plane destroyed when Russia invaded in 2022.
Although a portion of sales goes to humanitarian aid, founder Artem Yalanskiy told The Art Newspaper that he wants the works to be valued in their own right. “I don’t want Ukrainians to be associated just with the war, with sympathy… Some of the works that we’re selling here, I’m very confident that in three years they will double in price.”