Zhanna Kadyrova: Making Art When They’re Trying to Kill You

PinchukArtCentre presented the first monograph by Zhanna Kadyrova, one of Ukraine’s most internationally recognized contemporary artists. Published in English by German art publisher Distanz, the book traces more than two decades of her work, from early projects to those developed after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The first monograph dedicated to internationally renowned Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadyrova published by Distanz JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The publication is the result of a collaboration between the artist, PinchukArtCentre, and Germany’s Kunstverein Hannover. It brings together critical essays by international contributors, Kadyrova’s own reflections, and different perspectives on the evolution of her artistic language, with particular attention to works shaped by the experience of war. One of the book’s recurring themes is “Russian Rocket,” a project that places the threat of Russian aggression within familiar, peaceful urban landscapes. Its message extends beyond Ukraine, prompting international audiences to question how secure the peace they have long taken for granted really is. Kadyrova’s multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, installation, photography, video, drawing, public art, and performance. Her work explores memory and social transformation. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she has increasingly focused on the experience of living in a country resisting Russian aggression. Other Topics of Interest Russian Forces Intensify Shelling of Epicentr K Chain Across Ukraine in 48-Hour Wave of Strikes Ukrainian retailer Epicentr K said its facilities in Dubno, Kharkiv, Kovel, Kyiv, Pervomaisk, Poltava, Uman, Vinnytsia and Zaporizhzhia were damaged in Russian attacks over the past several days. In 2026, Kadyrova represented Ukraine at the 61st Venice Biennale with her solo project “Security Guarantees.” She previously participated in the Biennale’s main curated exhibition, “May You Live in Interesting Times,” in 2019. Her works are held in major museum collections worldwide, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Castello di Rivoli in Turin, the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, and Helsinki Art Museum. Kyiv Post: What became impossible in your artistic practice after 2022, and what, conversely, acquired new meaning? Zhanna Kadyrova: I used to love going on residencies, discovering local stories, and creating works from scratch using materials that inspired me in a particular place. I would explore the people, history, and character of a city or location. That has become impossible for me now because I turn down all the residencies I am offered. I decided to stay in Ukraine, live here, and observe the reality of war. The war itself inspires me. Through my own experience and artistic perspective, I want to communicate what is happening here to European and global audiences, tell them more about Ukraine, and share my personal experience of the war. You have chosen to remain in Ukraine despite your international career and opportunities to work abroad. What keeps you here? I travel to present my projects, and there is no way around that because I consider it part of my mission. In a sense, it is also a privilege to receive invitations and have the opportunity to share my work. But I find it difficult to spend long periods in other countries. Only here am I surrounded by people who understand me. Five years is a considerable amount of time, and there are experiences that feel comfortable to share only with people who have been through something similar. I am happy to see my friends and talented artists who have left Ukraine, but sometimes our interests and perspectives diverge. Here, I am among people with whom I do not even need to speak. We can simply look into each other’s eyes, and I feel understood. It is hardly surprising that art becomes particularly active under such difficult circumstances. Artists seem to live on the edge of reality, perceive events more acutely, and work as though they are doing it for the last time – with responsibility, intensity, and emotion. That resonates with me. I decided to stay in Ukraine, live here, and observe the reality of war. The war itself inspires me. In “Russian Rocket,” the threat of Russian aggression is presented as more than just Ukraine’s problem. Have you been able to convey to international audiences that this war concerns the entire world? I call it an export project. It was created in 2022. In my view, there is little point in putting rocket stickers on things in Ukraine, where actual missiles are already flying. Instead, abroad, I place them on the windows of public transport, trains, and buses, so that a rocket appears to fly over landscapes familiar to local residents. The contrast is meant to provoke an emotional response. I hope it encourages people to think about Ukrainians living under real missile attacks and to consider how long their own cities will remain peaceful. Could missiles one day fly over them, too? The project is deliberately simple, with an approach close to street art. A single sticker can disrupt someone’s perception of reality. We also have an Instagram page, Russian Rocket 2022, where people post their own interventions and photographs of rockets placed in their cities. The project was conceived as a kind of flash mob. I continue to travel and document it. Which of your projects created during the full-scale war has become particularly significant to you? Usually, the work I love most is the one I am working on right now. One of the major and most significant projects is “Instrument,” an installation made from a church organ and fragments of exploded missiles. Of course, there is also “Security Guarantees,” as well as “Palyanytsia,” a project that raises money to support Ukrainian service members, including artists serving in the military. So far, this humanitarian initiative has raised half a million euros. We recently launched a foundation that will provide assistance officially. Zhanna Kadyrova’s “Palyanytsia” project. (Images from the monograph dedicated to Zhanna Kadyrova published by Distanz) Another important project is “Refugees.” It consists of plants I evacuated from various front-line and formerly occupied territories. I found houseplants there – traces of life amid destroyed buildings. I documented burned-out, ruined interiors on camera, while taking the plants home and bringing them back to life. These are probably among the most important projects for me. The fact that the war is now in its fifth year does not mean our culture has died. It is alive and powerful. In 2026, you represented Ukraine at the Venice Biennale with “Security Guarantees.” What did the experience reveal about the relationship between art and politics at one of the world’s most influential international cultural events? I am pleased with how we organized the Ukrainian pavilion. We managed to accomplish everything we had planned. We even secured a better location for presenting the deer sculpture from Pokrovsk than we had expected. The central work in the Ukrainian national pavilion, titled “Security Guarantees,” was “Origami Deer,” a concrete sculpture created by Zhanna Kadyrova and Denys Ruban in Pokrovsk in 2019. It stood on the pedestal of a dismantled Soviet jet aircraft associated with nuclear weapons. In 2024, as the front line approached, the sculpture was evacuated. (Photo courtesy Ministry of Culture of Ukraine) But many political developments unfolded around the Biennale. I doubt we would have received such a central location had it not been for the controversy over the Russian pavilion. Criticism of Russia’s participation began, and the Biennale’s management tried to offer us certain accommodations. I call it the instrumentalization of the Russian pavilion’s presence. (Laughs.) Every project has its own behind-the-scenes story. But it is important to acknowledge that the Biennale management’s claim that art exists outside politics – that it is free and stands above everything – does not reflect reality. Many decisions, even seemingly technical ones, were made for political reasons. What message would you like to convey to international audiences on behalf of Ukraine’s artistic community during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, a war of aggression taking place in Europe? First and foremost, I want to emphasize that a great deal is being created and happening in Ukraine. The fact that the war is now in its fifth year does not mean our culture has died. It is alive and powerful. Even under extraordinarily difficult circumstances, artists find ways to realize ambitious projects. I would ask international audiences to believe in us and support us. Ukraine is a country with a distinctive cultural identity and a great deal to offer the world.