Artist Oksana Hnatyshyn—a resident of Mariupol who heads the Arkhip Kuindzhi Art School in Mariupol—continued her work in Lviv after the full-scale invasion began.
She has created a series of works dedicated to the cultural, historical, and natural heritage of the Donetsk region. Six paintings depicting the Sea of Azov, Svyatogorye, salt mines, stone statues, slag heaps, and a Ukrainian Cossack will serve as the basis for future postage stamps, according to the publication Ukrainian Nation.
“I was interested in joining the project to preserve our heritage, capture it in paintings, and then also on stamps,” Oksana said.
For the artist herself, this work has become much more than just an ordinary art project. In her paintings, she seeks to capture the Donetsk region as it is remembered by people who were forced to leave their cities due to the Russian invasion. It is an attempt to preserve the image of the region not through war and destruction, but through the sea, the steppe, history, industry, and centuries-old Ukrainian cultural traditions.
For the project, Oksana Hnatyshyn created six canvases; each work is dedicated to a specific symbol of the region and has its own title and meaning.
One of the central motifs is the Sea of Azov—the “Sea of Freedom.” Another work, in which stone statues serve as unique witnesses to the generations that have lived in what is now eastern Ukraine over the centuries, is titled “Voice of the Ages.” The painting “White Gold of Donetsk Oblast” is dedicated to the salt mines of Donetsk Oblast, depicting salt deposits and crystals as symbols of the region’s centuries-old history. A separate work, “Treasure of Cultural Heritage,” is dedicated to Svyatogorye.
The painting “Land of Labor and Strength” is dedicated to industrial Donetsk Oblast, where industrial facilities are depicted not merely as enterprises, but as part of the history of the people who shaped the economic potential of Donetsk Oblast and all of Ukraine. Another important theme is the Ukrainian Cossacks: the painting “Steppe Freedom” depicts a Cossack on horseback amid the open steppe. This image is meant to emphasize Donetsk Oblast’s historical connection to the Ukrainian Cossack tradition of freedom, the defense of one’s land, and life on the steppe frontier.
Oksana Hnatyshyn explains that the works are meant to serve as a reminder of those who were forced to leave their hometowns and to preserve the memory of a land that is currently partially occupied and continues to suffer from the Russian war.
That is precisely why turning these works into postage stamps carries additional symbolic significance. Images of the Donetsk region will be able to literally travel across Ukraine and the world, serving as a reminder of the region’s culture and history outside the context of frontline reports.
After completing the first six paintings, Oksana wants to expand the project. Among her future subjects, she is considering Artemivsk champagne, windmills, and other iconic landmarks of the Donetsk region, which will allow her to gradually create a much broader artistic map of the region—from natural landscapes to industrial and cultural heritage.
The first six works are scheduled to be presented by Ukraine’s Independence Day, after which their images will be used for postage stamps as part of a project by the Donetsk Regional Art Museum.
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