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Rusty Trawler
Rusty Trawler is a pseudonym of a character from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. He is a history major graduate which allows him to look at the world around at a different angle and see more context. Rusty began as a graffiti artist and studied art history and visual aesthetics on his own. Decision to become a professional artist came to him after watching the movie “Exit Through the Gift Shop” by Banksy. Banksy’s unique worldview is close to him to this day. Over the years he developed a distinct style and method that cannot be mistaken for anything else. His work is often a social commentary on current and past events or an effort to expose society's vices. He had personal exhibits in Lviv, participated in events in Slovakia, took part in art fairs in Kyiv.
Morning Coffee (the word under the arm is "News")
acrylic paint markers on paper, 11.5 x 8 in
Created on May 21, 2022
This piece is a sad ode to the sensationalist nature of the modern media. Its perpetual switch from one stress, tragedy, and disaster to another puts consumers in a constant state of tension. In this drawing a lady is shocked reading the news with an already usual message that the whole world will most likely end in a few. However, the fact that she is reading it casually while having a morning cup of coffee shows that this has become a normal modus operandi for her. She is in shock but only to a point of discussing it with her colleagues at work over another cup.
United States of Blood
liquid acrylic and pen on paper, 16.5 x 23.5 in
Created on May 8, 2022
The painting was created by dripping paint on paper and twisting it. Random pattern that was being created reminded the author of a map of the United States. As he was filling in the names of the states the artist began to realize that the map of the United States must contain much more than it really does. Due to the economic and military expansion and interference, the borders of the United States are where it wants them to be. All countries live in this web of capillaries that are being controlled and constantly infused by the USA. Even in this war Ukraine is vitally and fully dependent on the supplies from the United States and its allies so people of Ukraine can shed their blood for a “bigger goal”. Or maybe Ukraine, by spilling its blood, united all of these countries, gave them this “bigger goal”, and formed this entirely new geopolitical entity?
in private collection
Pyramid of Needs (the word on the foreheads is “War”)
acrylic paint markers on paper, 16.5 x 11.8 in
Created on April 16, 2022
The most obvious allusion here is to the Maslow Hierarchy (pyramid) of Needs, except it is represented by people. In order to move up the pyramid your more basic needs have to be fulfilled. As you progress up, your needs become more sophisticated and less to do with your physical well-being but more with self- realization. Each person here has “WAR” written on their forehead evoking the war that is going on in Ukraine, we can see fear on their faces as well. More vulnerable social strata are more affected and, looking at their pants, are more visibly scared. In reality those on top are just as terrified by what is going on, but they are covered, protected, and are hiding behind the backs of those who are at the bottom. We can also see here a silent consent with what is happening in Ukraine in particular and the world in general. Everybody knows that this should not be happening but instead of doing something to stop it are adding fuel to the fire.
in private collection
Lifeline (the book in hands says “War and Peace”)
acrylic paint markers on paper, 16.5 x 11.8 in
Created on March 15, 2022
This work is close to Yevgen - the project creator, as it inspired and formed the idea for this collection. By coincidence the woman in the picture is essentially the Yevgen's wife. At the time of painting she, just like the woman in the picture, was pregnant, and just like her, she was surrounded by information about the conflict, effectively reading the book about the war, but in real life. However, there is an artist's vision here as well. A line in the middle is positioned as a divider between the turbulent and challenging present on the left and blissful future on the right. While carrying a child, a mother unknowingly projects everything that she is living through, thus narrating everything that is going on in the world around her to the baby. The line is also a frontline signifying a constant struggle between parents and children. First, a child is fully dependent on parents, then they begin to separate from them, and the role of the parent diminishes. Time and life often create tensions and conflicts between parents and children.
About the creator of the Conflicted Art project:
Yevgen Nemchenko came to the United States from Ukraine 20 years ago. He has been an art and antiques collector for over 10 years focusing primarily on local and American art. However, when the invasion happened, he felt he had to help the situation in the only meaningful way he could. Yevgen used his network in the Ukrainian art world to purchase a number of works with the goal of helping artists personally and giving them and their work more global exposure. Doing so would encourage a way of looking beyond the often hyper-visual, dehumanizing, and sensationalist media pieces, but instead to look at Ukraine and the wider context of the war through the humanity, creativity, and personal stories coming of Ukrainian artists. Yevgen would like to thank his wife Kristina for her constant encouragement and support throughout this project, his longtime friend, Oleg V., for helping with graphic design and sharing in the costs, as well as a good friend, James Gregg, for his academic eye and editing.