When the Russian invasion in Ukraine started, many people wondered what they could do to make a difference. Earlier on in March, Instagram influencer Quentin Quarantino (New York-based Tommy Marcus), launched an idea: booking rooms for rent on Airbnb in Ukraine not to stay, but to lend support and send immediate assistance to people in hard-hit areas.
People followed the suggestion and soon over 60,000 nights were booked in Ukraine from around the world. Some social media users questioned the effort as in some cases properties may not be owned by Ukrainian people living in the country, but by people residing somewhere else, so in this case money may have not gone to the intended people.
Yet, this idea could be tailored and reinvented to help others currently living in Ukraine, in particular people from the country's vibrant creative community. There are quite a few artists, fashion and accessory designers, illustrators, photographers and many more creative minds who lost their homes, studios, materials and tools under the bombs.
Architect and jewelry designer Tetiana Chorna decided to actively do something for her fellow Ukrainian jewelry artists. Born and working in Kyiv, Chorna is staying in the Ukrainian capital and, to keep her mind off the bombs and maintain a positive attitude, she has created a database of jewelry designers on an Instagram page - @ukr_jewel_in
In each post Chorna describes one artisans, showcases their work and shares their story: Katya Titova, from Hostomel, for example, already escaped from the Russian army in 2014, and she has now lost everything under the bombs and had to flee her town (she was photographed while running with one of her children and her picture ended on the front page of The Sun and Metro in the UK); Ivan Zadorozhny from Vyzhnytsia worked at the Vyzhnytsia Professional College of Arts and Design before the war, but the conflict prompted him to do some blacksmithing and he made "hedgehogs" for checkpoints and potbelly stoves for the army.Chorna added bank account numbers for donations to these designers or websites and Etsy pages. We can easily order pieces online from the pages of these designers without expecting to receive them.
Obviously the money from these orders will go directly to the jewelry designer and is not meant to replace donations to bigger charities, but it will offer a sense of connection with an actual person from the creative community.
Pprobably these "invisible" pieces of jewelry will be the most beautiful ones we will ever buy, as by purchasing them, somebody we do not even know may be able to buy things they need for themselves, their families, friends and neighbours. Looks like the power of jewelry genuinely goes beyond the mere decorative purpose.
Thanks. This Instagram account deserves a lot more followers. I'll try to share it around as much as I can.
Posted by: Kmaustral | April 02, 2022 at 02:47 AM