Ukrainian postage stamp mouse 2021

Curator: This work, an acrylic painting from 2021, is titled "Ukrainian postage stamp mouse," and it comes to us from the artist Sergey Piskunov. At first glance, what grabs your attention? Editor: Immediately, there’s a somber tension—the bright Ukrainian flag colours distorted within these... are they packages? Like something precious, but clearly under duress. There’s a strong sense of vulnerability. Curator: Indeed. Piskunov’s clever layering shows an investigation into commodity and representation. The glossy material mimics industrial packaging, mass-produced containers that both protect and obscure their contents, yet, made with a handmade painting technique, this contrasts a digital stamp design. Editor: Right, I notice the deflated form evoking images of packaged or shipped products which highlights themes of globalization, perhaps forced migration, and definitely the ongoing political conflicts. Those packages seem to carry not just goods but also… are those soldiers depicted on the surfaces? Curator: They are. These images on the “packages” echo graphic designs related to postal stamps of Ukrainian soliders fighting in conflict zones. These elements reveal layers of the social fabric, connecting individual struggles to broader narratives. Piskunov employs this everyday item in an almost defiant act of elevating craftsmanship amidst automated reproduction. Editor: I think this elevates art from purely aesthetic experience towards documentary evidence. How are Ukrainians perceived globally and how the military conflicts have displaced citizens or the memory of a place? Curator: He forces us to reckon with the materiality of conflict and information circulation. His chosen medium here is important; these brushstrokes make a statement. In contrast to digital fabrication processes. What are your overall impressions? Editor: This forces introspection about responsibility—are we just passively consuming distant crises that become as familiar, yet distant, as consumer packaged goods? It suggests we dig deeper to recognize what these objects conceal. Curator: Precisely. I think Piskunov created it intentionally so that its contents have impact to viewers worldwide who see the struggles that are concealed. Editor: This piece provides some strong reflections on the political and economic landscapes that it reflects and its relevance on global markets, that invites deeper social responsibility in contemporary Ukrainian representation.