With United24 and Oliz the art stolen in Ukraine becomes a fundraiser for reconstruction
Collaboration between United24 and Ukrainian themed online clothing store Oliz to raise funds for the program “Rebuild Ukraine“, launched by United24 to rebuild the areas occupied by the Russians. In the first phase of the program, thanks to Rebuild Ukraine, parts of Hostomel, Irpin, Borodyanka and other cities destroyed by Russian barbarism were rebuilt.
Arte Rubata shawl collection on Oliz to raise funds for United24's Rebuild Ukraine
Russia is impoverishing the whole world, not only economically but also on a cultural level.
Oliz has made a section available to its customers "Stolen Art” where he collected a collection of silk shawls with a double value, one practical and one highly symbolic.
The practical value is represented by the proceeds from the sale of these shawls which will benefit United24's Rebuild Ukraine program for the reconstruction of cities devastated by the Russians and now reconquered by the Ukrainian army. The symbolic value, however, is evident from the title of the collection. The shawls depict works of art that have been destroyed or, in most cases, stolen by the Russians not only as war booty, but also during the Soviet period. Theft for Russians is a vice that has been perfected over hundreds of years.
Spread the images of the world around the world looted works of art or destroyed by Moscow criminals serves to raise public awareness of the disappearance of Ukrainian cultural heritage which, since art is a form of universal culture, is harmful to all of us wherever we are. Russia is impoverishing the whole world, not only economically but also on a cultural level.
The works of Oliz's "Stolen Art" collection
The silk shawls from the Stolen Art collection represent some very important works of Ukrainian cultural heritage that have now been destroyed or stolen. Among these we find the work “Red Sunset” (1905-1908) by the artist Arkhyp Kuindzhi whose priceless original sketch for this painting was stolen together with over two thousand works from the Mariupol art museum destroyed by the Russians in the spring of 2022 .
The same fate also befell the house-museum of the Ukrainian artist Polina Rayko in Oleshky who had depicted imaginary works on the walls of her home, transforming it into a real work of art. The house was flooded by the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam by the Russians and a large part of the paintings were irremediably destroyed.
United24's Rebuild Ukraine program
All proceeds from the sale of Oliz's shawls from the “Stolen Art” collection will go to United24's Rebuild Ukraine fund, the program launched in January 2023 to rebuild buildings and roads in areas devastated by Russian bombing.
The fundraising is open and you can participate by donating online. Part of the proceeds has already been used for the reconstruction of parts of the cities of Irpin, Borodyanka, Hostomel, Buzove and Mila, allowing over four thousand people to return to their previously damaged or destroyed homes. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of work to be done, but it is thanks to initiatives of this type that every Ukrainian can, even in such difficult times, have hope for his future and that of his homeland.
