On April 23, the exhibition “Values” opened at the Museum. This is a collaborative project between the War Museum and the Lobortas Classic Jewellery House.
The exposition brings together small-scale sculptures where historical memory, national archetypes, and the experience of modern war form a unified artistic space. At its core are the concepts that define Ukrainian identity: freedom, dignity, memory, responsibility, the continuity of tradition, and the capacity for resistance.
During the opening, Dmytro Hainetdinov, Deputy Director General for Research, emphasized that the project merges an artistic component with the historical code of Ukrainians, addressing themes of identity and resilience. According to him, these works testify to the continuity between the Ukraine that fights today and previous generations of our compatriots. The masterworks presented in the exhibition shape a vision of the future being built amidst the conditions of war.
Representatives of the Lobortas Classic Jewellery House focused on small-scale sculpture as an art form that allows for the discussion of complex subjects through precise and concentrated imagery. According to Anastasiia Lobortas, the House’s Creative Director, the project addresses sociocultural values and demonstrates how historical images—particularly Cossack ones—continue to live on within modern defenders.
Nataliia Sydorenko also spoke about the cultural code as the foundation of the project. She highlighted that “Values” engages with questions of origins, the present, and the future, forming a holistic representation of Ukrainian identity.
Museum curator and artist Anton Lohov drew attention to the exhibition’s atmosphere as a space for personal reflection. According to him, the exposition creates a sense of dialogue between the viewer, themselves, and a world in which Ukraine emerges as a strong nation, deeply rooted in its own values.
During a curatorial tour led by Anastasiia Lobortas, visitors learned that the compositional heart of the exhibition is a reimagining of the “Motherland Monument”. Transferred into the format of small-scale sculpture, this symbol acquires a human scale and creates a different type of interaction with the viewer—one that is more personal and focused. The combination of precious materials, stones, and minerals underscores the grandeur and symbolism of the monument.
Surrounding the central sculpture is a series of images that combine Cossack epics, state symbols, and figures of the modern Ukrainian resistance. This combination traces the continuity of history: from previous generations to those defending the country today. Alongside traditional imagery, elements of modern warfare appear, including motifs of advanced weaponry. In certain works, fragments of the aggressor’s weapons are used, reimagined as part of the artistic form.
The exhibition is presented in a chamber format, allowing visitors to focus on each work and reflect on them individually. The exposition is open to the public in the Main Building of the War Museum.
