Dimensions 36x46cm
Donation percent 50%
2025
Mixed media.
Materials: wood, air dry clay, acrylic.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, numbers have been counted—those killed, those who lost their homes, destroyed lives, and loved ones separated on both sides. People take sides, engage in debates about who is right and who is to blame. They argue, conceal figures, and calculate "manpower losses," forgetting that each unit is a human life. Forgetting that life is life—yours, mine, those who fight in wars, and those who count.
With his work, Gribel seeks to remind us that any war is beyond the bounds of normalcy and that every life is sacred. This is the first and foremost thing to remember, something that should never be forgotten before engaging in calculations and disputes.
Although this panel was created in 2025, the idea for this work was conceived by Aleksei in the early months of the war together with his friend. This concept was rejected by all exhibitions and festivals in Russia out of fear of repression. The artists’ perspectives and meanings embedded in the same idea diverged, just as their life paths did. One artist's vision became tied to the fate of the war, while the other's to the fate of people in general. Yet, the humanist message remained the same, prompting reflection on how similar ideas in contemporary art can be interpreted not only by the audience but also by the creators themselves.
