This publication explores Eastern Ukraine, specifically the Donbas region, through archival, artistic and experimental practices. Using text, typography, poetry, illustration, painting and photography, the book presents a personal, poetic and politically charged perspective on the region’s history of industrial extraction, war, ecological rupture and embodied memory.

The project is supported by Stimuleringsfonds Design grant, Jaap Harten Fonds ans Stroom Art Project grants, and is planned to be published in 2027 with ist publishing.

Letters by Alexandra Hunts; Editorial design by Stefaniia Bodnia

Project reflects on the fragile thresholds between order and collapse, drawn from an ongoing exchange between an artist and a scientist.

In Ukraine, Russia’s invasion has spurred a profound new wave of investigative, research-driven, and documentary practices. Stemming from the visual and discursive programs of the 2024 Kyiv Biennial in Berlin, a new publication brings together a selection of these approaches.

In texts that grapple with survival environments, the destruction of architectural heritage, and the mass psychopolitical devastation suffered by Ukrainian society, the publication sheds light on the brutal realities of a neocolonial war of extermination and exploitation. It amplifies urgent calls for decolonization, bears witness to war zone atrocities, and highlights acts of refuge and solidarity. Contributions from researchers, artists, journalists, and activists-from Ukraine and beyond-ask a vital question: how can artistic creation, critical inquiry, and social engagement converge to forge a radically different future?

Like the layers of sediment excavated during precious metal and mineral mining, war operations leave behind a perforated landscape, resulting in a hollow structure with voids and encapsulated spaces within the layers of the land. In a practice that spans multiple media, Stefaniia Bodnia (b. 2001, Mariupol) and Jack Dove (b. 1983, London) draw parallels between personal trauma and geotrauma, where the layers of geological formations intersect with layers of power.

On five suspended metal plates, the imprinted imagery combines satellite views of the Donbas mining region in eastern Ukraine, where military operations have taken place above and below ground since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. These etchings reveal the porous nature of mined minerals, paired with performative renderings reminiscent of a lost landscape.

The metal plates are amplified by resonators, their sound giving voice to resources, including minerals, land, non-human entities, and human labour. The installation presents the ground vibrations, transmitted through steel and aluminium. Synthesized sounds and processed samples move and distort the metal, while the plates and sculptural elements of endemic flowers become resonant instruments. The material layering reveals vertical structures connecting the subterranean and the digital realms, linking mines to the cloud.

Commissioned by the Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz, the Visual Culture Research Center, and RIBBON International for the Kyiv Biennial 2025. Made possible with support from Stroom Den Haag.

The project explores the history and significance of neon gas. It highlights its journey from the universe to scientific advancements and geopolitical shifts, juxtaposing past and present uses. Initially invisible, neon gas glows red when electrified, a phenomenon that found commercial appeal in advertising signs in the West.

The piece features ten illuminated electrons representing neon’s atomic structure, set against a backdrop of a found window grille from the turbulent 90s in Ukraine, serving as a metaphor for the era’s industrial and political upheaval. Soviet investments in neon gas for space-bound laser weapons left a legacy that extends into today’s high-tech industries and shaped the Ukrainian landscape.

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, which disrupted nearly half of the global neon supply, underscores the fragility of interconnected systems. The work encapsulates the shift of neon’s purpose, from a military tool to a semiconductor manufacturing cornerstone, while inviting viewers to ponder the ethical complexities of technological progress and its enduring impact. Through these contrasts, the project prompts reflection on the lasting impacts of Soviet industrialisation, ecological damage, and the complex ethical considerations entwined with scientific progress and political change.

Graphics and print for the phentakistoskope. Sculpture by Alexandra Hunts

Aluminium conceals time, voices and histories. It’s one of the most widely used materials in infrastructure, but also in military and ammo. We took melting as the main methodology to reshape the narrative and bring material to the new action. Stefa developed lettering based on the properties of the material, using ligatures to connect all the letters formed by the process.
 We used aluminium scrap power cables for the production of the casting piece. In Ukraine, where there is only three hours of electricity per day, these cables play a crucial role in establishing connections.
 This piece was produced for the project initiated by the Royal Academy of Art.

The typeface was collaboratively designed by Céline Hurka and Stefaniia Bodnia. The project originally drew inspiration from the handwriting of illustrator Adrian Pourviseh, found in his diaries. In 2021, Adrian spent several weeks in the Mediterranean, participating in the rescue of refugees with Sea-Watch E.V.. While at sea, he processed these traumatic experiences at Europe's deadliest borders through his writing, later transforming them into a graphic novel. The novel, titled "Das Schimmern der See," was published in 2023 by Avant Verlag and designed by Moritz Schottmüller and Calvin Kudufia.

The project received high acclaim by various news channels such as Arte TV and SWR and was supported generously by Stimuleringsfonds Creative Industries. Seasummer was specifically developed for this graphic novel, aiming to capture the emotional journey of its writer from tranquility to intensity. The final typeface will incorporate Ukrainian Cyrillic, developed by Stefaniia Bodnia. Additionally, it will feature 5 alternates per letter, an extensive character set, ligatures, and symbols.

The visual identity included the development of key graphic elements and metal wires shaped into various configurations tailored to each venue where the biennale took place. The system was developed across posters, signage, the website, and social media.

The visual identity for Pochen Biennale 2024 reflects on the curatorial statement about fire coming from the East (Ex Oriente Ignis) for the main exhibition. Fire is used conceptually as a tool for making a performative image. Rather than depicting fire directly, the focus is on its remnants—the transformations it leaves on surfaces. The system was developed across printed matter, signage, boards, and animations for the website and social media.