UKRAINE

This work of war reportage presents illustrations, reflections, and interviews with everyday people who were in Ukraine when Russian forces attacked the country in February 2022.

British journalist and artist Butler visited the country in March 2022, only days after the initial invasion; he completed a return trip in the spring of 2023. While he conducted his interviews and observations during a specific time frame, a broader history—as well as ruminations on the human condition and the “circularity of war”—emerge through and within them. The visceral accounts are deeply affecting, mixing stories of trauma and quotidian aspects of life and reflecting their subjects’ varied perspectives—when Butler met them, Volodymyr was 7 and Madame Olga was 99. Butler includes stories of survival, sacrifice, and unspeakable violence, as well as reflections on community care and people’s hopes and dreams and what brings them joy. The subjects and settings are carefully rendered in sparsely colored ink, watercolor, and collage illustrations, offering a loose, unfinished style that befits the ever-evolving stories and conflict. In most instances, a portrait is followed by a write-up offering each subject’s name, age, location, and context about how Butler came to be in contact with them. Many portraits are accompanied by the subject’s own words, recorded through direct conversations or email exchanges; Butler acknowledges the assistance of “Ukrainian fixers, translators, and drivers.”

A raw and indelible work that presents the experiences, perspectives, and voices of ordinary people.