In the course of the tragedy that’s Russia’s struggle on and occupation of Ukraine, PRINT has tried to remain involved with Ukrainian designers and artists in and in a foreign country, in addition to Russian dissenters in numerous locales. Because of John Tymkiw, a inventive director in New York, I contacted letterer and illustrator Olha Protestova from Kyiv, who has taken short-term refuge in Europe. She and so many different moms should defend their younger kids. I’ve requested her to touch upon her work earlier than the invasion and now, in addition to the roles of a few of her colleagues.
If this was a traditional time, would you be a kind designer, typographer, illustrator, or what?
I don’t do sort design, I make lettering with modeling clay. Each Cyrillic and Latin are attention-grabbing to me. Additionally I do illustrations on this method.
Previous to full-scale struggle (as a result of for us, struggle has been occurring since 2014) I used to be doing lettering/illustration for books, magazines, manufacturers and packaging for each Ukrainian and worldwide purchasers. When full-scale struggle began I used to be pressured to maneuver, and to be trustworthy, at first with out instruments—no laptop computer, no digicam, plus with small children to handle.
So within the first months my exercise was sharing works of different artists on Instagram, and sharing lists with contacts of Ukrainian artists with artwork administrators, in editorial, for instance. At first it was onerous for me to grasp how [I could discuss the] struggle with the assistance of modeling clay. Right here’s my profile and the way it regarded a yr in the past:
What has modified within the design world because the struggle started?
After all, the work of designers and illustrators modified: Our activity is to inform about what’s going on in Ukraine, help our navy (for instance, making layouts for patches; one of many best examples is from Oleksii Chekal, designer and calligrapher from Kharkiv).
I’ve proven a variety of posters from the early months of the struggle. Are designers persevering with to provide acerbic anti-Russian work?
Sure, many individuals are doing posters as response to occasions. I can identify Artem Gusev, Max Palenko (acerbic describes Max, I believe!), Anna Ivanenko, Zhenya Oliinyk. (And I can identify many extra.)
As for sort designers, Yevhen Sadko did a terrific job along with his [must-read] presentation—it’s onerous so as to add one thing new, he named all of the vital folks! I want to specifically point out Dmytro Rastvortsev and his current work for the Armed Forces. He’s a really productive sort designer.
Additionally, an important researcher and designer is Marchela Mozhina. She is amassing historic samples, and designed a font with Nil Khasevyc referred to as “Volja.”
Have typefaces assumed a patriotic symbolism?
Sure, undoubtedly, but it surely occurred not simply now. There was a transfer in the direction of analysis of our typography heritage in current many years, and it turned stronger after 2014. Additionally, all folks I do know have reduce all their connections to Russian colleagues. Some did it in 2014, some in 2022.
There clearly isn’t any regular anymore, however as a citizen and a designer what’s your “new regular”?
Positively it’s to help our military as a lot as we are able to (everybody has mates or relations in military); construct our neighborhood, establishments, design schooling. We aren’t giving up, and never ready for somebody to do that for us. However ache and grief are with us every single day. Some designers I knew have died in a battle. So many good individuals are killed by Russians.
How can you operate day after day with the specter of bombardment of your private home metropolis?
Effectively, about bombardments, my mother and father are in Kyiv and the very first thing I do within the morning is test the information—“did one thing fell from the sky” or not? As many moms did, I went on an extended evacuation journey, however mentally, in all my ideas, I’m dwelling, in Kyiv.
Previous to the invasion, did you’ve gotten overseas, and notably, Russian, purchasers?
Overseas, sure, I believe 20% was from the U.S. and Europe. Russian—no.
Is it vital, in your opinion, to be a designer and typographer at this second?
Sure! There may be a lot of work forward. [Below, bottom] is [a list] of typefaces designed in 2022-23. It’s the largest quantity of fonts ever made in the identical interval, and Yevhen Sadko’s current exhibition [of specimens, below, top]:
