When Darcy Ataman landed in Kyiv a week ago, he only managed three hours of sleep before an overnight air alarm – signaling another Russian attack – jolted him awake. Sleep-deprived or not, the next day, Nov. 25, he carried with him two artworks meant to show solidarity with Ukraine.
The Canadian artist’s work was featured alongside that of other artists from different countries for the event “United by Art,” a cultural initiative organized by Kateryna Kucherova, who founded Art Society by KK, an atelier celebrating Ukrainian and Georgian culture. United by Art is focused on the idea of supporting Ukraine using art. The program launched in Kyiv at Taras Shevchenko University and goes on to Lviv on Dec. 1 and 3.
Two artistic projects, one purpose
Ataman, who is the founder of Make Music Matter, a music therapy program for survivors of conflict and trauma, came with two works: a documentary-style audiovisual project titled “Ukrainian Artists United,” and a textile art installation titled “All the Love We Cannot Bear, Articulated.”
As he told Kyiv Post, the point was not to advocate to Ukrainians.
“Sadly, everybody knows the pain of the war daily here, and last night proved that, but it’s really for it to continue to be on the news in Canada,” Ataman said. “We keep helping over here because at home the story goes very quickly.”
“Art provokes dialogue, it keeps things in the public consciousness,” he added.
The audiovisual installation features music from rock‑band musicians alongside images of artists, poets, and other collaborators.
The tapestry, made from 30 pieces of military uniform embroidered with a Ukrainian soldier’s diary entries, transforms war statistics into deeply personal, human stories. Ataman explained the idea behind it:
“It’s so hard to care about numbers and statistics, but if you can take this painting and turn it to a human-to-human level, then you might feel something.”
The tapestry was first shown in September 2025 at the New York office of UNICEF, during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The film and the tapestry are part of a broader Ataman project titled “Ghosts Don’t Cross Borders,” which also includes a sculpture made from scrap metal and debris collected from the front.
From conflict zones to Kyiv – a long-term commitment
Ataman is no stranger to conflict zones. For nearly two decades, through his humanitarian work with Make Music Matter and his art, he has visited many war-torn regions, including the Middle East, East Africa, and Latin America.
“One of the hardest things for people living it is the isolation – the feeling that no one in the world cares,” he said. His presence, he hopes, offers “some hope … that we do see you still.”
In Kyiv, even living under regular air-raid alarms, people he’s met have been remarkably welcoming and generous despite the daily trauma of what they endure.
Why the project matters
With the full-scale war dragging on, media coverage inevitably focuses on major events – large-scale attacks, political developments, front line shifts. Smaller stories, daily suffering, and personal losses often slip under the radar. Ataman pointed out that things “don’t even … leave a mark it seems” unless they’re dramatic enough.
That’s precisely why art – personal, human, emotive – plays a vital role. Through his works, Ataman seeks to break through the distance that numbers and statistics create. His tapestry and film are not meant to just be documents of war, but, also bridges connecting people across continents, reminding global audiences that behind every headline there are real lives and stories.
As the organizers of United by Art put it, the project uses culture as a “universal language of solidarity.” By presenting works created by international artists in a Ukrainian context, the initiative aims to amplify Ukraine’s voice around the world.
Looking ahead
Having finished their Nov. 25-27 showing in Kyiv, Ataman’s works now travel to the Zenyk Art Gallery in Lviv where they’ll be on display Dec. 1 and 3.
The event will also include a video presentation of works by Georgian artist Avtandil Gurgendize, and a showing of the documentary film “Palyanytsia” by a Ukrainian-American team represented by producer Kateryna Tymchenko and featuring US-based street artists and documentarians Tristan George, Bandit, and John Ashbaugh.
A scene from the audiovisual project “Ukrainian Artists United,” shown at Taras Shevchenko University on Nov. 25, 2025. Photo: Jeremy Dirac.
A scene from the audiovisual project “Ukrainian Artists United,” shown at Taras Shevchenko University on Nov. 25, 2025. Photo: Jeremy Dirac.
Darcy Ataman speaking about his Ukrainian Artists United project on Nov. 25, 2025 at Taras Shevchenko University. Photo: Jeremy Dirac.