Landscapes of Recovery: The Role of Art in Ecological Restoration in War-Torn Ukraine
This research investigates the role of artistic practices in contributing to the recovery of war-impacted landscapes in Ukraine. The ongoing war has led to significant damage to ecosystems, especially forests, water bodies, and waterfronts. With this as a backdrop, the research focuses on how contemporary artistic methods, such as mixed media graphics, filmmaking, and photography, can serve as critical tools in documenting, envisioning, and enabling the ecological regeneration of these environments. The project positions art not only as a medium of representation but as an active agent in supporting ecological restoration efforts. In doing so, it explores how interdisciplinary approaches combining art and ecology can foster collaboration with local communities, environmentalists, and ecologists to realize real-world ecological interventions, or “ecoventions.”
Results
restoration projects for war-damaged landscapes. These will serve as both artistic expressions and practical proposals for ecological recovery.
• A documentary film that tells the stories of non-human actors and showcases the process of ecological restoration, with an emphasis on community involvement and activism. The film will highlight how both human and non-human elements contribute to the recovery of ecosystems affected by war.
• A research paper that explores the theoretical intersections of art, ecology, and activism, with a particular focus on the role of ecoventions in inter/post-war recovery.
• A one-week workshop as part of the Articulate Research Week. This will focus on the theme of
ecoventions in the context of Ukraine’s post-war recovery. The workshop will include sessions on ecology led by the EcoSphere Research Group.
• The results from the research and workshop could culminate in a traveling exhibition, beginning at the Academy as part of the final presentation. This exhibition could expand to other locations, including Ukraine, showcasing ecological principles embedded within dismantlable and compact exhibition equipment and scenography that is in harmony with sustainability goals.
