"A Portrait of Putin" by the People of Ukraine

Pillar: Dignity & Voice | Medium: Interactive Performance | Artist: The People of Ukraine

Art is usually a singular vision. But at a recent charity auction for IDPs in Kyiv, we curated a piece where the artist was the audience itself.

The work, titled "A Portrait of Putin" by the People of Ukraine, began as a deceptive installation. Hidden behind heavy velvet curtains in the corner of the auction hall, we constructed a mock-shrine. A "Kremlin Red" carpet led viewers to a pristine, museum-quality portrait of the dictator, framed in gold and lit with the reverence of a Hermitage masterpiece.

The Setup The initial encounter was designed to provoke a visceral reaction. Unsuspecting guests, expecting a standard auction lot, were physically confronted by the face of their aggressor. The atmosphere in the booth was heavy; many guests immediately turned away, overwhelmed by disgust, fear, and rage.

The Intervention But the portrait was merely a canvas for the true artwork. Beside the painting sat a delicate tea set, repurposed to hold paint and brushes. The prompt was unspoken: the barrier between viewer and subject was removed.

What followed was a reclamation of power. Guests took up the brushes, transforming the "masterpiece" into a wall of public graffiti. Layer by layer, the aura of fear was dismantled. The image of the tyrant was defaced, ridiculed, and drowned out by the expressive rage and wit of the survivors.

Sold at Auction The final piece—a chaotic, vibrant, collaborative canvas—was auctioned off as a unique historical artifact. By attributing the work to "The People of Ukraine," the piece became a symbol of collective resistance.

The proceeds from the sale went entirely to support Internally Displaced Persons. In a final stroke of irony, the image of the dictator was monetized to heal the very families he sought to destroy.