Denmark's First Exhibition of Ukrainian Naïve Art Highlights the Role of Culture in a Time of War.

Ukrainian naïve art grew out of a rich folk tradition shaped by village life, folklore and local customs. Through colourful, symbolic imagery, its artists depicted everyday life while passing on stories, traditions and cultural symbols across generations.

Under the Soviet Union, the relationship between Ukrainian folk culture and state ideology was complex. Ukrainian art and folklore were not only suppressed - certain expressions were also promoted when they supported a narrative of Ukraine as rural, traditional and culturally subordinate. At the same time, opportunities to develop and express an independent Ukrainian national identity were restricted even though Ukrainian heritage was a major inspiration to the Ukrainian avant-guard movement which was largely appropriated as Russian.

Within this historical context, Ukrainian naïve art assumed a special significance. More than a distinctive artistic tradition, it became a means of preserving cultural memory and expressing Ukrainian identity.

NAÏV: Ukrainian Visions brings around 100 works directly from Ukraine to Denmark. The exhibition brings together works by 20 artists, spanning paintings, sculpture, embroidery, objects, archival material and photographs of works that have since been lost or destroyed.

The exhibition moves from the visual traditions of Ukrainian folk culture to the personal stories of some of Ukraine's most celebrated naïve artists. Visitors will encounter the imaginative world of Maria Prymachenko, whose paintings and handwritten texts combine folklore with reflections on peace, humanity and everyday life, as well as Polina Raiko, whose richly decorated home has become a symbol of both artistic freedom and the vulnerability of Ukraine's cultural heritage. The exhibition also presents Petrykivka decorative painting, inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Throughout the exhibition, narratives of the Holodomor, Soviet repression, the Chornobyl disaster, and the ongoing war are woven into the artistic story. The history of Ukrainian naïve art is therefore not only one of artistic development, but also of personal loss, grief and a culture that has repeatedly fought for its survival.

At a time when Ukraine is defending not only its borders but also its cultural heritage, NAÏV: Ukrainian Visions demonstrates how art can keep memory alive and preserve a nation's identity when it is under threat.

📍 Ukraine House in Denmark, Gammel Dok, Strandgade 27B, Copenhagen
📅 August 21, 2026 - January 17, 2027