Keeping Crimea Visible in the International Space
Working with narratives about the occupation of Crimea is an important part of the struggle for justice, as it helps ensure that the harm caused by Russia, the losses endured, and the experiences of people whose lives have been changed by the war are not forgotten.
Ukraine’s international partners, through the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), support initiatives aimed at preserving the memory of the war, reflecting on the harm caused by Russia, and strengthening Ukraine’s voice in the international arena.
It is in this context that, with PFRU support, the exhibition What We Talk About When We Talk About Crimea opened in Warsaw. The project was commissioned by the Ukrainian Institute and organised by the Past / Future / Art memory culture platform, in partnership with the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Poland.
Opened at the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw and running until 28 June 2026, the exhibition brings together works by 13 Ukrainian artists, including Crimean Tatar artists, who explore through art the experience of losing home, preserving memory, and rethinking identity after the start of Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014.
The opening was attended by Vasyl Bodnar, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Poland; Olga Jabłońska, Deputy Director of the Department of Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland; Anna Łazar, Director of the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art; Volodymyr Sheiko, Director General of the Ukrainian Institute; and Vladyslav Piontkovsky, Project Director for PFRU’s Transitional Justice and Missing Persons Mechanism.
At the opening of the exhibition, Refat Chubarov, Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, noted:
Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the occupation of Crimea in February 2014 are more than an act of territorial conquest. This is an attack against the very nature of human civilization as an open system. De-occupying Crimea is about protecting the world’s right to diversity and restoring global balance.
In ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Crimea’, contemporary artists reflect on the experience of losing home, preserving memory, and rethinking identity after the start of the Russian occupation of the peninsula in 2014. Through art, the exhibition speaks about Crimean history and culture, offering personal perspectives on the present, the future, and the dream of return, while also inviting audiences to consider Crimea’s place in European history.
The exhibition is curated by Kateryna Semenyuk and Oksana Dovgopolova, co-founders of the memory platform Past / Future / Art, together with Alim Aliev, Deputy General Director of the Ukrainian Institute.
This is important work that helps keep Crimea visible in the international space and preserve room for memory, voice, and future justice.
