War on Display: Exhibiting the Russo-Ukrainian War in Ukrainian Museums

• In Event: Struggle for Liberation: Perception of the Russo-Ukrainian War in Ukraine

Abstract

The full-scale war started in February 24, 2022, and less than three months later, in May, a few Ukrainian museums began presenting several war-themed exhibitions to the domestic and international public. It was an act of courage to collect war artifacts from freshly de-occupied, yet still dangerous Ukrainian territories, a gesture of resistance to Russian propaganda as well as “normalizing” the everyday life of empty museums where permanent exhibitions had been evacuated.
This presentation focuses on the role of Ukrainian museums in documenting, perceiving and exhibiting the current war. It examines thematical exhibitions in national and local history museums, private exhibitions in the very places enveloped in war crimes and destruction, as well as virtual museums of the war. The presentation focuses on a variety of war narratives which range from trauma, loss and tragedy to an emphasis on resisting, opposing and overcoming the Russian invaders. Besides analyses of the narratives’ content, the presentation will discuss the main tropes, language and communicating approaches used in establishing and delivering those narratives to the visitor. In order to gauge a uniqueness of the newly-created narratives, the presentation will compare them with narratives about WWII in order to grasp their convergences and divergences.
Ultimately, the presentation will highlight the prominent role of Ukrainian museums in creating templates for commemoration of the Russo-Ukrainian war, and for establishing traditions or standards on how to portray this historical event.

Author

• Valentyna Kharkhun, Mykola Hohol State U of Nizhyn (Ukraine) / American University (USA)