Banners for Everyday Battles
Various techniques (gouache and handwriting on used home textile, embroidery), 2023 - …
The following battle banners are made of old blankets, duvet covers, curtains, napkins that I received from my grandmother and from my mother when I was moving out to live independently. The objects of home textile since ancient times have been traditional dowries that a young woman received from the older women of her family when she left home (most often to get married). Typically this kind of textile was associated with the patriarchal understanding of «femininity» – and thus with something «secondary», «down-to-earth» and not worthy of any serious perception. Many artists and activists reflecting on the topic of gender equality and gender-based abuse have been deconstructing this stereotype in their works over the past decades. Following and developing their methods, I transferred my home textile from their usual and «inherent» role of something bringing coziness, warmth and domestic atmosphere to the sphere of military and protest symbolics. Also reflecting on the fact that many women are still deprived of the media and platforms for speaking out, so that they have to use the resources available to them at the moment, which most of the time turn out to be the household-keeping, beauty, female hygiene objects etc.
«…A blanket with nice floral ornament, a tender pink duvet cover, an almost transparent piece of curtain – none of them were meant to become battle banners, but they did when the time has come. As anyone of us can (and often has to) become a fearless warrior when it’s time to fight for our right, dignity, freedom and life. And at this moment, anything may turn into our battle banner, anything may turn into our sword or spear – so that we take them both in our hands and rush with all the power of rage and love in the counter attack to take back what rightfully belongs to us…»
«…I am taking back my power, which I used to hide, so as not to frighten the weaker ones with it. I am taking back my voice, which I used to hold back for those who only speak in whispers. I am taking back my anger, which I used to suppress because of my fear of being abandoned.
«…Віра, Надія, Зброя (Vira, Nadiia, Zbroiia) – from Ukrainian, Faith, Hope, Weapon. Normally at the third place should come Love (Liubov), as exactly this trinity signifies main righteous virtues every human being needs to strive for. In Orthodox Christian tradition those virtues are personified in the image of three female saints. Vira, Nadiia, Liubov are still very popular girl names in Ukraine (for example, my grandmother’s name is Vira). Normally it’s thought that having those three – Faith, Hope and Love – is enough to resist any life challenge. Certainly it isn’t enough to resist an evil empire, a terrorist dictatorship that doesn’t care at all about any righteous virtues that are considered sacred and precious among most of the people. This empire claims it has the same saints, but for sure under the masks of Faith, Hope and Love it instead praises Idolatry, Despair and Hatred. Life of any being, whether it is life of their own soldier or lives of children sleeping in their beds hundreds of kilometers away, doesn’t have any value for them. And they for sure don’t understand the word of love – only the word of weapon. From the very beginning it was expected from Ukrainians that they would stand for themselves only armored with Faith, Hope and Love. Some expected us maybe to stick flowers inside gun barrels pointed at our faces. Now mostly Ukrainians are asked to survive only by means of Faith and Hope. Soon there will be only Faith left? And than nothing? No, do not expect that nothing will be left, because Ukrainians will take up weapons (Zbroiia). They already did it, for that a lot of Love has to be left behind, substituted by harshness and rage. Many say Ukrainians are too cruel, too harsh – can you see now why it happened? And as long as the world refuses to give Ukraine enough weapon to resist the aggressor the way it’s needed for Ukraine’s survival – and the way the aggressor deserves – Ukrainians will have to find those weapons elsewhere, maybe abandoning something very valuable. I don’t want it to happen to my people, to my family and friends, to myself. I don’t want Faith and Hope to be gone, I want Love to come back. But for now, Zbroiia it is…»
«…Thank you for surviving - this phrase I heard after introducing myself as Olia, the artist from Ukraine. It happened during a lunch break at the conference in South Korea, and was no joke, but a genuine sincere greeting. I was amazed how simple it sounded, but how many meanings it carried inside. And it wasn’t only about Ukraine, of course.
Indeed, sometimes just surviving is enough. Moreover, often «just» surviving is an incredibly huge thing. So many people were and are being (and unfortunately, are going to be, because the world is such a horrible place) deprived of this right. Simple, basic right, but so often overlooked and undervalued…»
In remembrance of all women of the past, who’s suffering wasn’t in vain. In solidarity with all the women of the present, who’s bravery and resilience inspire. With love for all the women of the future, who won’t have to go through any sufferings, and won’t need to develop resilience anymore – because the world we leave to them, I hope, will be a much better place than it used to be for us.
About all those who have been silenced, ignored, denied for so long, but whose subtle presence shaped this world and whose uprising is inevitable.
If you turn me into a ghost – be ready that I will haunt you forever, and no exorcist will help you get rid of me.
Not only about Ukraine, but about every ignored, silenced, «secondary», devalued soul, without whom actually those who consider themselves prominent, loud, «primary» and valuable lose any sense of their existence.
The textile piece which determined the composition and shape of the text was kindly donated by my grandmother Iryna. The rest of the same fabric years back served her as a summer blouse.