News of violent struggles for power in foreign lands like Ukraine are easily reduced to impersonal figures: lives lost, land gained, resources allocated and depleted in either side’s efforts. Such simplifications make their horrifying human elements much easier to swallow. We lose sight of the fact that each casualty represents the end of a human life much like our own, laden with intricacy and idiosyncrasies, not to mention hopes and dreams that will forever remain unrealized. In the face of such crises, art plays an essential role in reasserting these inconvenient truths, shaking us from the sleepy states afforded to us by our distant remove. Perhaps more importantly, it enables us to take on such harsh realities by reminding us that hope for a better future miraculously and valiantly remains.
Ukrainian street artist Sasha Korban tackles this precise task with his recent mural, titled “Milana”, and located in Mariupol, Ukraine. Regarding his work on the project, the artist explains, “It is the fourth year of war in my country. There are thousands of broken hearts and lost beloved ones, ruined families, injured bodies and souls. Milana is a six-year-old girl who faced the war three years ago. But she was stronger than any war. Her little and yet brave heart conquered everything. I have dedicated my piece to Milana as I do believe she is a real symbol of the true hope.”
“Milana” towers above Mariupol, encompassing one entire side of an imposing edifice. Her visage exemplifies Korban’s signature style of expressive faces, almost narrative in their realism. In his work, Korban focuses on the aspects of our nature that truly make us human, whether it be love, playfulness, surprise or distaste. Here, “Milana” embodies a proud stoicism standing against disaster. Though she is a beautiful young girl cradling her stuffed animal in innocence, her eyes remain downturned and her face turned away with defiance. She does not exhibit fear, but serenity. One cannot fail to be impressed with her composure given the circumstances, and inspired by how this strength might play out over the rest of her life. The mural’s enormous stature allows it to shine as a beacon of hope not only for the citizens of Ukraine, but the world as a whole.
This message holds a personal significance for Korban. An ex-miner himself, the artist recounted to online retailer Funk and Furious earlier this year, “I had some hardcore times in my life, I was falling on my knees and standing up again. I know there is always a hope, there is always a new beginning. And if you want to change something just start from yourself. You are your hope, you are your own blanc piece of white paper. You just need to believe it.” Whether struggling against internal conflict or an inferno appearing on your doorstep, Korban’s commitment to acknowledging the human condition emphatically espouses the resiliency within us all, that we might fight through trying time to establish a more promising tomorrow.
Images by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation
