Introduction to the work of Ukranian refugee artist Anastasiia Piatakova
part of a fundraiser for Ukranian refugees in Scotland

Pause. This Is Not Tourism

This is a series of original paintings from Kherson, Lviv and Mykolaiv, Ukraine. The artist Anastasiia Piatakova is an 18-year-old war refugee living in Scotland. She arrived in the UK at the end of June 2022. Since then, she has been planning to raise funds for United 24 - a charitable organisation established by president Zelensky. All profits will go towards the most pressing needs of Piatakova’s home country.

In the series there are twenty A4 and twelve A5 paintings on card. All works arrived with Piatakova who hitch-hiked from Kherson to Lviv, took a bus to Warsaw and arrived by plane to the UK. On the way she stayed at four different refugee camps. Now, she’s living and working in Glasgow.

Piatakova wants to address the stereotypes about refugees and migrants. This is not tourism. This is a pause that we take to escape the war and make a contribution to those who keep us in safety.