The city of St. Gallen, Switzerland, hosted the opening of the first exhibition of Ukrainian naive art in Europe titled "Beast of War." The exhibition features works from the collection of publisher and curator Lydia Lykhach. A UNESCO-produced video inaugurates the exhibition, emphasising that the attack on Ukraine not only resulted in human casualties but also poses a threat to the country's cultural heritage, showcasing damaged or destroyed architectural landmarks and museums with valuable cultural objects.

The centrepiece of the exhibition, which gave the project its name, is a work by Maria Prymachenko. After the Ivanivka Local History Museum, housing 14 works by the artist, became a victim of bombings in February 2022, the name of the brilliant naive artist became known to many art experts and people worldwide. Her art is recognized as a significant discovery, and experts quote the words of Chagall and Picasso about the naive artist from Bolotnia, who created her unique whimsical universe, reported the magazine VOGUE

In addition to six works by Maria Prymachenko, the exhibition at the Open Art Museum also presents "old masters" of Ukrainian naivism, such as Nikifor, Panas Yarmolenko, his daughter Yakylyna, Hryhorii Ksonz, Hanna Shabatura, Sofia and Yaryna Homeniuk, Dmytro Perepelytsia, Ivan Lysenko, and anonymous authors from Sumy, Cherkasy, Poltava, Kharkiv. Representatives of "official" art are also featured, including Maria Prymachenko, Kateryna Bilokur, the Petrykivka painting school represented by Tetiana Pata and Paraskeva Vlasenko, as well as contemporary artist of art brut Bozhena Chaharova and self-taught artist of the mid-20th century Hanna Hotvianska. In total, the exhibition showcases around 50 works by 23 artists.

"Naive, outsider, or 'rough' art reflects subjective cultural peculiarities. Literally, it is folk art that holds special significance for cultural memory and possesses a powerful force that shapes the history of the country's culture," noted Monika Jagfeld, director of the Open Art Museum and co-curator of the exhibition, who has been managing the museum in St. Gallen since 2008. The exhibition underscores the political context as the "locomotive" of cultural events.

The opening of the exhibition was attended by high-ranking guests, including Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland Iryna Venediktova, the head of the Foundation for Swiss Naive Art and Art Brut, former Mayor of St. Gallen Thomas Scheitlin, and a representative of the Ministry of Culture of Switzerland. Anna Kanter, founder of the Anna Kyivska Center in St. Leys, came to support Lydia Lykhach from France, and Ukrainians from not only St. Gallen but also other cities, and even Austria attended the opening.

"Swiss people watched naive art with interest and showed curiosity about modern Ukraine, which is natural at this time," said Lydia Lykhach. "I am pleased that we managed to present the beauty and interest of Ukrainian naivism in Europe through various works, revealing the reasons for the current war. Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland Iryna Venediktova made an important contribution, representing the modern Ukrainian situation from her position, and it was evident that the Swiss were impressed."

The exhibition, scheduled to run until February 25, 2024, includes an extensive public program that will introduce the Swiss to the culture of St. Gallen and Ukrainian culture. The program will feature performances by musicians, art experts, writers, discussions, and lectures.