My trip to Ukraine felt like the furthest away from home that I had ever been. The exhibition will be about the journey of leaving the comforts and familiarities of home behind. Though these brave men and woman were in their own country, I believe they felt further away from home than I did. The London pubs and countryside fields that I call home and recognise as comfort had disappeared. And the word comfort becoming unfamiliar as we ventured closer to the front. I must say, this was one of the most dangerous trips that I had ever been on.
The auction will be raising funds for Dorset to Donetsk.
Works for sale
Please click the images to see sizes and pricing.
- Tank Child
A child paused in frame as I was painting the destroyed Russian tanks displayed as war trophies in the centre of Kyiv. Behind the girl is a destroyed civilian car. - Mania’s War Trophy
During one of Mania’s many days in Bukhmut, having seized Russian territory he claimed an old Russian car which his battalion (Aidar) now use to take injured Ukrainian soldiers off the front line. - Children Playing
As the Russians invaded Ukraine early last year, they were ambushed by Ukrainians defending Kyiv and the city of Dmytrivka. A line of destroyed Russian tanks now lie bare by the city of Dmytrivka. - Medics
By Bukhmut, 5 kilometres from the front line, the battalion, Aidar practice evacuating injured soldiers. Though they were rehearsing, the ground was still shaking due to Russian shelling” – Max Denison- Pender - Lunch Time
Battalion, Aidar, famous for holding Mariupol three weeks longer than expected, having a well-earned lunch break after a patrol. - Medics on Assault
By Bukhmut, 5 kilometres from the front line, the Battalian, Aidar practice evacuating injured soldiers. Though they were rehearsing, the ground was still shaking due to Russian shelling”- Max Denison- Pender - Mozart’s Bunker
The commander, Mozart sits in his bunker under a shaky light, discussing his big plans. - Brothers in Arms
Deema and Silent were heading off to the front line that evening, before ‘plating up’ and getting in the armoured vehicle, they asked, ” Before we go can you please do a painting us together?” I said, ” Of course!” – Max Denison- Pender - Catching a ride
Aidar offered to give me a lift from the shooting range to the safe houses in a BMP Tank, I couldn’t not paint them!” – Max Denison- Pender - Victoria
Victoria, 22 years old, left her high paying bank job in the city to join her sister on the front line as a medic. In 3 months, she has saved over 50 people, during her duration on the front line she was in the midst of an artillery bombardment which has left her concussed and 80% deaf in her left ear. She sits in a destroyed Russian tank. - Sergeant Alexander
Alexander, a sergeant of Aidar battalion who fought in Mariupol, is looking out of their safe house window having just come back from a patrol. - Vlad
Vlad, 20 years old, poses having done a 12 hour stint on the firing range, preparing him for his first time on the front line in two days time. - On Assault
Andriy aiming his AK47 into the horizon, painted on patrol. - Rebecca
Rebecca is an American volunteer who works as a medic at a stabilisation point by Bukhmut. Tired and not flinching during the heavy shelling, she sat by her stretchers to be painted on her break. - The Bunker
Fifteen soldiers tucked away in their bunker, in their bunkbeds.