On March 19th, at the invitation of Office Ukraine – Support for Ukrainian Artists, Sergii Bieliaiev, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, attended the closing of the exhibition “Stolen Past, Threatened Future” in Vienna.
The exhibition, featuring Ukrainian artists, highlights the power of art as a form of resistance. It reflects the harsh realities of war, displacement, and the struggle for identity. Out of more than 200 submissions, works by 23 Ukrainian artists were selected, each using different artistic mediums to share their experiences of living through conflict and emigration.
In his speech, Sergii Bieliaiev expressed gratitude to the Austrian government for its ongoing support of Ukrainian artists and for creating a safe space for their work: “Art is a form of resistance. It preserves our history, conveys our truth, and reminds the world of what is at stake. We are truly grateful to Austria for its support and for ensuring that the voices of Ukrainian artists are heard and valued”.
He also thanked Susanne Jäger and Mark Napadenski from Office Ukraine – Support for Ukrainian Artists for their hard work in organizing the exhibition, collaborating with Ukrainian artists, and presenting the works so thoughtfully.
Tomas Zehetner, representative of the Vice-Chancellor’s Office and the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service, and Sport of Austria; Karin Zimmer, Head of the International Cultural Policy Section at the same Ministry; and Isabel Giller, representative of the Ukraine Office Austria at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also attended this event.