Art Train Exhibition in Ukraine
In Odesa, the first-ever art train exhibition focused on the war in Ukraine has been launched.
Specially equipped carriages display photographs by renowned photographer and philanthropist Howard Buffett, taken during his visits to Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.
"This project is the result of tremendous teamwork. I have visited Ukraine 25 times and I am grateful to everyone who supports this nation," Buffett stated.
Among the attendees were the chairman of Ukrzaliznytsia, Oleksandr Pertzovsky, and various prominent Ukrainian figures.
Buffett and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Muhammad Muheisen left their autographs on one of the carriages.
"This project is unique as there have never been art trains during wartime. With the help of the Howard Buffett Foundation, we revived unusable passenger carriages and filled them with photographs intended to touch hearts. The art train plans to travel to 63 cities over the next four months, but we will not publish the exact schedule for security reasons," Pertzovsky emphasized.
He also mentioned that the idea from Howard to do something extraordinary for Ukraine emerged 92 days ago. "The art train will travel throughout Ukraine, reaching small communities without galleries or museums, bringing a bit of art and emotion," he added.
The exhibition's uniqueness lies in the fact that the photographs are displayed in three specially equipped carriages with lighting and music.
"I traveled from the east to Odesa and saw how tired people are and what peace means to them. But no one is giving up. I am confident that Ukraine will prevail," Buffet noted in a comment.
The mobile exhibition will remain in Odesa until June 17. Afterwards, the train will travel across various regions of Ukraine, including frontline areas.
Admission to the exhibition is free, and visitors can book a time slot in advance to avoid queues. An electronic invitation can be obtained by filling out a registration form on the official website.
The art train was created by Ukrzaliznytsia with support from the Howard Buffett Foundation. The creative ideologist and organizer of the exhibition is photojournalist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Muhammad Muheisen.
The train will be in Odesa until June 17.
Since 2022, the Howard Buffett Foundation has allocated over 1 billion dollars in Ukraine to support recovery efforts, including demining, humanitarian aid, prosthetics, children's programs, war crime investigations, agriculture, public safety, critical infrastructure, and projects that tell the truth about the war and strengthen Ukrainian communities.
