Kyiv: Ukrainian voices curate Ukrainian culture. This series is produced in collaboration with the Folkowisko Association/Rozstaje.art, thanks to co-financing by the governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia through a grant by the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe. It has been translated from Ukrainian by Iryna Tiper and Filip Noubel.
According to Global Voices, for those who end up behind bars, the perception of the world changes. Time slows down. Space is limited by a perimeter of barbed wire. But no one wants to lead their life as cattle on a farm. And thus creativity awakens in many.
Pavlo Selezen, a native of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, served his sentence in correctional colony No. 116 in the city of Sumy. Sashko Gres served his term with him, known for making knives in the work area of the prison under guard supervision. Prisoners crafted various items like backgammon and chess games, boxes, icons, and pipes for smoking tobacco and hemp, channeling their creativity into aesthetically appealing work.
After his Soviet-era military service in Kazakhstan during the 1990s, Yurko Havryk returned to Ukraine, finding himself penniless and jobless. He joined a gang and ended up behind bars. Gambling games thrived among prisoners, with hand-made dice and cards. Yurko’s collection included wooden artifacts, and he recalled the creation of souvenirs like candlesticks and wooden mugs.
Famous Ukrainian film director Serhiy Parajanov, imprisoned in 1974, became intrigued by collages made from scraps, foil, and magazine reproductions. His captivity in Luhansk reminded him of biblical slavery. Parajanov crafted about 800 collages in prison and wrote letters about camp artists who created tattoo exhibitions.
Tattoo art serves as a social identity marker in prisons. Pavlo Selezen has tattoos of Jesus and a scorpion, emphasizing the significance of tattoos in distinguishing prisoners. Religious and patriotic images are popular, while some tattoos reveal cynical humor.
Art historians describe prison art as art brut or outsider art, created in moments of acute emotional upheaval. Imprisoned individuals engage in reading, writing, and creating traditional songs. Film director Oleg Sentsov, imprisoned in 2014, wrote stories during his captivity.
In women’s prisons, marochki, or gift handkerchiefs, hold significance. These artifacts feature colorful images and inscriptions, often representing symbols of innocence and repentance. They are cherished gifts, embodying personal connections and cultural heritage.
Ukraine’s high imprisonment rate within the Council of Europe highlights the increasing visibility of prisoner art, showcased in exhibitions at venues like Kyiv’s Sholem Aleichem Museum and Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Despite their circumstances, prisoners embrace their right to enjoy the arts, contributing to their social rehabilitation.