Artworks and Narrative From the Invasion of Ukraine
We Know Who They Are… (WTWTA) is a comprehensive exhibition project featuring the artworks of 21 Ukrainian artists, and wartime artifacts. The traveling exhibition is in Baltimore July 31–October 2, 2026 at The Peale museum. There are several companion events during this time, organized by The Peale in collaboration with the Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee and Baltimore-Rotterdam Sister City Committee. Admission to the exhibition and the companion events is free.
Exhibition
July 31 – October 2, 2026
Location:
The Peale museum
3rd floor
225 Holliday Street
Baltimore, Maryland, USA 21202
In this exhibition, visitors will see the conflict through various artistic interpretations by contemporary Ukrainian artists and come to understand the events as they unfolded in paintings, drawings, sculptures, assemblages, collages, etc.
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, marking an unprovoked escalation in a long-standing conflict. We Know Who They Are (WKWTA) is a project by Conflicted Art that reveals hidden truths and unseen dimensions of the Russian war with Ukraine. Its main theme is the one most others will not dare touch — Russian war atrocities in Ukraine. The project was conceived when Conflicted Art founder Yevgen Nemchenko met with George Washington University Fine Arts and Public Policy student Benjamin Cunningham in early 2023.
The project quickly expanded to become an immersive multimedia experience. Visitors see the conflict through various artistic interpretations by contemporary Ukrainian artists and come to understand the events as they unfolded in paintings, drawings, sculptures, assemblages, collages, etc. Some of the works depict the tragedy directly, some figuratively, while others expose the resilience of the Ukrainian people and their disdain towards the aggressor. WKWTA intends to promote art as a resource for political accountability by showcasing tangible evidence of these alleged atrocities through the work of primary witnesses.
WKWTA features artworks from 21 Ukrainian artists and nearly ten artifacts representing the wartime terrain and the mass devastation of civilian life. These artifacts not only document the alleged wartime atrocities committed by the Russians but also spatialize the artworks through enhanced sensory interaction. Visitors are able to touch, smell, and interact with some of the objects. By presenting these artifacts in dialogue with the artworks, the exhibition aims to evoke a deep emotional response, providing a visceral understanding of the impact of the invasion and the resilience of the Ukrainian people.
About the traveling exhibition: wkwta.com/exhibition
Companion events
Friday July 31 at 6-8pm ET
Exhibition opening reception
In-person event at The Peale museum.
Friday, August 14 at 6pm ET
Film screening:
The Porcelain War: Art, Resistance, and the Human Story of Ukraine
In times of war, what role does art play? Can creativity protect identity, preserve culture, and offer hope amid devastation? Join us for a screening of The Porcelain War, an intimate documentary that follows Ukrainian artists creating and preserving beauty in the midst of invasion. (More details to come, about this event.)
In-person event at The Peale museum.
RSVP link is coming soon.
Saturday, August 15 at 2-4pm ET
Artists Panel Talk
A moderated interactive discussion with the curator of the We Know Who They Are exhibition and Maryland artists that have ties to Ukraine: ceramicist Natalia Kormeluk and photographer Elena Volkova.
In-person event at The Peale museum.
Sunday, August 16, 12-4pm ET
Ukrainian Arts and Crafts Afternoon
An afternoon of activities for families and kids. (More details to come, about this event.)
In-person event at The Peale museum.
Thursday, September 17, 12pm ET
Virtual event:
Preparing Museums for a Crisis: Lessons from Ukraine
12pm ET (Baltimore time) – 19.00 EET (Ukraine time) – 18.00 CET (Netherlands time)
This virtual panel convenes museum professionals, cultural workers, and heritage advocates to explore the urgent question: How do we preserve and maintain cultural heritage in times of crisis?
Centering on the ongoing war and occupation of Ukraine, this program brings together international voices to examine the role of museums and cultural institutions in safeguarding collections, protecting sites, and sustaining cultural identity during crisis. The discussion will feature live-streamed presentations from speakers across multiple time zones, followed by a live, moderated Q&A session to encourage dialogue and exchange among participants. Panelists include: Milena Chorna from Association of Ukrainian Museums; Kateryna Chuyeva, former Ukrainian Vice-Minister of Culture; Kateryna Kulai from Odesa National Fine Arts Museum; Arnoud Odding, Strategic museum advisor from the Netherlands; and Ihor Poshyvailo from the Maidan Museum. Moderated by Glen Davis, retired Foreign Services Officer.
Virtual event. RSVP here
Thank you to the DutchCulture organization (who organizes knowledge exchanges with Ukraine’s cultural sector) for providing advice and logistical support for the September 17 panel.
Conflicted Art
As a traveling exhibition, WKWTA is conducted under Conflicted Art, an art-based organization developed by Nemchenko and Cunningham in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Conflicted Art is a collection of paintings, sculptures, and other artworks by Ukrainian artists created during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was conceived a few days into the war and was meant to show the war through the artists’ eyes as it was unfolding. Some works are an artist’s attitude to a specific event during the conflict, while others show an artist’s reflection on their feelings and current situation.
The project revealed a theme that while a certain amount of social change or even instability might be helpful for an artist to draw inspiration from, the overall conditions and situation in which an artist creates must be at least somewhat comfortable. Otherwise, work might stop or take unpredictable forms.
WKWTA represents a new dimension of Conflicted Art as it takes the project beyond its initial mission of promoting cultural exchange. Until now, Conflicted Art has mainly emphasized the immediate emotional and social reactions to the war, but this collection aims to thematically explore artist narratives while delving into political accountability, advocacy, and provocative expressions of the wartime experience.
The project’s founders, Benjamin and Yevgen, are committed to expanding their efforts. They are currently in discussions with more galleries both domestically and internationally that may be interested in exhibiting the project. As Yevgen emphasizes, “People everywhere must see what is happening there, because this conflict is not confined to just Ukraine. If left unchecked, the dictator will always go further, giving a signal to others that they can do the same”.
About Conflicted Art: www.conflictedart.com
Explore Ukraine: Movies, podcasts, books, and more!
baltimoresistercities.org/explore-ukrainian-culture/
Curious to learn more? This is a list of impactful and riveting movies, books, and podcasts — for you to learn more about Ukrainian arts & culture, history, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and other contemporary topics. The list is provided to you by the Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee from Baltimore Sister Cities.
