“A Look at the Other. Portrait” is a project organized by the Voices of Children charitable foundation providing psychosocial support to children affected by war-related trauma in Ukraine, implemented in partnership with the Svitlo Young Art Gallery, and supported by Kryla.
The program brought together teenagers from Mariupol, Melitopol, Bakhmut, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, the Kharkiv region, and other Ukrainian cities - young people whose lives have been profoundly shaped by war.
Many participants have lived through:
The core purpose of the project went beyond creative development.
It was about building psychological resilience in the context of war-related trauma.
Through art, sacred art, abstraction, and easel graphics, the teens explored the portrait as a way to better understand others and themselves. Their artworks became honest reflections of their feelings, experiences, and inner worlds.
A crucial part of the program was the psychological support embedded throughout the process. It helped ensure emotional safety, supported the processing of difficult experiences, and allowed creativity to become a source of strength without pressure or expectations.
This project was the first Art Lab our organisation Kryla supported. We are deeply grateful to our donors and everyone who believes that supporting children’s mental health is vital, especially in times of war for your trust and support.
🌐 Learn more about Kryla and how you can support our mission: https://kryla.ch
