I Want to Save All Animals of Ukraine 2022

Kinder Album’s watercolour painting “I Want to Save All Animals of Ukraine” is a heart-wrenching image made by a Ukrainian artist in a time of conflict. It's easy to imagine them working in a state of heightened emotion. The watery washes, the domestic interior, and the symbolic animals - everything feels immediate and raw. I wonder what it was like for the artist to create this deeply personal and politically charged piece. It feels so vulnerable and open. That central figure, cradling the giraffe’s neck, evokes both tenderness and a sense of desperation. The animals gathered around her seem to be seeking refuge, each rendered with a kind of fragile beauty. The darkness behind them is closing in. The broken windows with hands reaching in feel symbolic of the destruction and intrusion of war. And the vulnerability of the animals in the space reminds us of the universal need for safety and compassion. There is so much that can't be said but can be painted.