Slanted Magazine #43—Ukraine

україна

contributors

submissions: approx. 1,500 featured works: 237

10 × 10

Yevgen Anfalov, Oleg Drozdov, Oleg Gryshchenko, Kateryna Korolevtseva, Mykola Kovalenko, Yuliia Kozlovets, Lidia Lykhach, Sergiy Maidukov, Pavlo Makov, Sasha Maslov, Mariia Norazian, Illya Pavlov, Nadiia Railko, Dr. Kateryna Rietz-Rakul, Anna Sarvira, Nastia Sleptsova, Synchrodogs, Daria Titarenko, Oleksandr Tregub, Oleg Veklenko authors

Sasha Bychenko, Oleksandra Korchevska, Tetiana Pavlova, Misha Poklad, Yevgen Sadko, Oleksii Salnykov, Andrii Ushytskyi, Nastichka Zherebetska cover variations

Mykola Kovalenko (hand), Dasha Podoltseva (face), Anna Sarvira (tiger)

WAR-LIFE BALANCE

This is one of several works that were created as part of the LITR festival residency in Olomouc (Czech Republic). The pictures describe ordinary everyday life during the war in Odesa.

This one shows how people covered their windows with tape, but also decorated them with flowers.

Daria Filippova 2022

At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Oleg Bilyi started a personal challenge. Each day, he created one poster highlighting the events in Ukraine—a call to help and support the Ukrainian people in their quest for freedom and victory over the invaders. This is one work from this 40 day challenge.

ESCAPISM

Mariia Sharova 2023

This piece was created while thinking about how art, beauty, and aesthetics can be a place to escape from reality.

40 DAYS OF WAR Oleg Bilyi 2022

At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Oleg Bilyi started a personal challenge. Each day, he created one poster highlighting the events in Ukraine—a call to help and support the Ukrainian people in their quest for freedom and victory over the invaders.

40 DAYS OF WAR Oleg Bilyi 2022

This is another work from Oleg Bilyi’s 40 day challenge. He created one poster each day.

YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM

Tetiana Bezborodova 2023

The claim is inspired by the song You Gotta Fight for Your Right by the Beastie Boys. It serves as a reminder that the current war affects all spheres of life.

This illustration conveys the message that no matter how hard it is, one should always hang on.

THE EARTH

Ivan Dudchenko 2023

This work is the result of a collaboration with the Ukrainian brand Yana Belyaeva. This new graphic print is on a rather interesting subject. The topic of fertility and value of the Ukrainian land and landscape as a whole—its diversity and strength. The graphics are a stylization of the landscape as one sees it from a bird’s eye view.

A LIMITED COLLECTION OF SWEATERS DEDICATED TO THE REGIONS OF UKRAINE Platfor.ma 2023

This collection is dedicated to the historical and ethnographic regions of Ukraine—from East to West and from South to North. It’s a celebration of the landscapes and the uniqueness of this country. All sweaters were sold at charity auctions, and their design inspired the creation of other collections, including scarves and blankets.

These experimental posters were created using the poems of Ukrainian futurists, who were part of The Executed Renaissance—a generation of Ukrainian poets, writers and artists of the 1920s and early 1930s, who were killed by the Soviet regime. The futurists experimented with the sound of words, inspiring Lera to experiment with the form of their poems and how they could look in the physical world.

Stanislav believes that everyone has a bigger or smaller parasite / inner critic who occasionally tells us that we are not doing enough.

Stanislav Kalaharets

SURZHYK

Stanislav Kalaharets 2023

Surzhyk is a dialect that is characteristic of certain regions of Ukraine. It also arises when a person switches from Russian to Ukrainian. While it is not well-regarded in society, the designer embraces his dialect because it is a part of who he is.

TURTLE

Stanislav Kalaharets 2023

Stanislav attended the exhibition Module of Temporality. It is presenting different works related to war in Ukraine. He took a photo of a sculpture (turtle) for the creation of a future poster. In this example, a turtle with explosives is a metaphor for violence in the world.

KHARKIV IS Mariia Norazian 2022

This poster was made for the anniversary of the designer’s native city in 2022, during the onset of the war. The typography serves as a tribute to the city, its history, and its vibes.

THIS MUST BE THE PLACE

Lina-Mariia Shlapak 2023

One work out of a series of posters reflecting on the topic of home, inspired by the song This must be the place by Talking Heads.

One of several experimental posters that were created using the poems of Ukrainian futurists, who were part of The Executed Renaissance—a generation of Ukrainian poets, writers and artists of the 1920s and early 1930s, who were killed by the Soviet regime. The futurists experimented with the sound of words, inspiring Lera to experiment with the form of their poems and how they could look in the physical world.

TURNING PAGES

Dasha Podoltseva 2021–2022

This is one piece of a series featuring real Ukrainian street ads, printed on sweatshirts using their original typography.

WE ARE THE FREEDOM / PRIDE TO BE UKRAINIAN Mykyta Kozlovskyi, Mariia Norazian, Illya Pavlov, 2022

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This is a poster from a series, which was pasted up by volunteers across European cities to remind Ukrainians that we stand together.

HOLD THE FUTURE VOL. 1

Denys Zhuk 2022

Hold the future is the designer’s fictional zine about the future of the country. Cover of the first issue.

FUTURISTIC POEMS

Lera Lesyk in progress

One of several experimental posters that were created using the poems of Ukrainian futurists.

ЛЮБОВ <3 LOVE AS ABOVE, SO BELOW

THE TURNING PAGES

Experiments with the visual vocabulary of Ukrainian graphic artists Vasyl Krychevskyi and Oleksandr Saenko.

Erik Kockum, Frederik Öst 2022

Turning Tables, Concept and production, 2019. Client: Turning Tables

Oleksii Salnykov 2023

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Client: Turning Tables

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UKRAINIAN FILM FESTIVAL BERLIN 2022

Olya Kuzovkina, Oleksii Salnykov

Kultura Studio 2022

Posters for the Ukrainian Film Festival Berlin 2022.

MUSICAL LECTURES

Dasha Podoltseva 2021

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Posters for fictional ironic lectures about music using parts generated by AI.

MUSICAL LECTURES

Dasha Podoltseva 2021

Posters for fictional ironic lectures about music using parts generated by AI.

THIS CIRCLE YOU WILL LEAVE

Daria Titarenko 2019

A Poster for the Volodymyr Shaposhnykov and Yevhen Svitlychnyi exhibition in Kyiv, 2019. Radial composition and overlapping visuals illustrate the complex multidimensional painting approach of two Ukrainian “star” painters.

HOPE

Alex

Derega 2023

The illustration features three figures: Hope (blue), Fear (pink), and Help (green). Additionally, there is a yellow star that can be interpreted as either an explosion or a light at the end of a tunnel. It depends on one’s perspective.

ABOUT HER MEMORIES

Anastasia Vlasenko 2022

The problems raised in this series of works are focused on the topic of human memory. The viewer’s attention is drawn to existing questions and problems in order to encourage reflection.

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ABOUT HER MEMORIES

Anastasia Vlasenko 2022

This is another piece in Anastasia’s series.

RAPED FOR BEING UKRAINIAN

Bohdana

Rudenko 2022

This is one of three illustrations from a series dedicated to women raped and murdered during the Russian war against Ukraine.

LOOK AT ME

Yulia Pastukhova 2022

This work is from a series dealing with the topic of dependence on social opinion, on trends and fashion, on novelties in cosmetics, music, clothing, and style that can evoke inner protest.

THE PELICAN Zhenya Oliinyk

2023

The series was created for the Swedish Goethe Institute art program In Need Of Protection (2023). The program presented the body as the main topic—as something incredibly vulnerable but at the same time protective.

ABOUT HER MEMORIES

Anastasia Vlasenko 2023

The problems raised in this series of works are focused on the topic of human memory. The viewer’s attention is drawn to existing questions and problems in order to encourage reflection.

Yulia Pastukhova 2022

This is one of several artworks dealing with the topic of dependence on social opinion, on trends and fashion, on novelties in cosmetics, music, clothing, and style.

UKRAINE AND GOLIATH Oleg

Gryshchenko 2022

The Stand with Ukraine series is devoted to the struggle of Ukrainians for democracy and their freedom. In the history of mankind, there are many legends and myths about heroes and victories over evil and monsters. Now we see this in modern reality in Ukraine.

Olga Lisowska 2023

This is the portrait of the famous Ukrainian philosopher and writer, Hryhorii Skovoroda, created for the Lyuk media article.

OUR COUNTRY OF THE YEAR FOR 2022

CAN ONLY BE UKRAINE

Sergiy Maidukov 2022

This is a tribute to the Ukrainian people, to their ability to adapt and their fight for freedom against the Russian attempt to occupy the territory of Ukraine and to kill hundreds of thousands of people because of their nationality.

Sweet, provocative, and controversial art. The artist creates what she loves and is passionate about— each piece having a story behind it, mostly reflecting on everyday life that everyone shares: emotions, music, movies, books we grew up with, political and social statements etc. Some pieces are a combination of the visual and verbal context hovering between comedy and tragedy. 80

BY1-5 Nika Kupyrova 2021

In digital worlds, populating environments with a large quantity of unique objects would be too expensive and time-consuming. Instead, we see a repetition of a limited number of shapes, cleverly camouflaged by alternating colors and textures. A series of mushroom-like objects consciously employs this logic in an analogue plaster-casting process: an algorythmic repetition of shapes and pigments creates a sense of abundance, while also shattering the illusion of an endless variety.

HOME. MEMORIES

Slava Balbek, Anastasiia Partyka, Alyona Tryhub, Dmytro Zinoviev Balbek Bureau 2023

Home. Memories is an art installation that was designed around an old defunct fuel tank at the Ukrainian Vernadsky Research Base. The installation represents a typical Ukrainian house—one associated with grandmotherly coziness. A thin detailed frame around the tank resembles a pencil sketch: as if someone, reminiscing, draws their childhood home from memory. The tank’s walls are adorned with a mini exposition with symbolic mementos from Ukraine encapsulated in epoxy resin.

VISUAL IDENTITY

Solia Marchak 2022

This project was created in 2020, and refreshed in 2022. It is about love for the culture and traditions of one of the Ukrainian regions. The Hutsulshchyna region is famous for its unique culture, rich history, language, and folk art. The project absorbs the traditions and motives of the entire culture of this region, demonstrating that folk creativity is always relevant. Subsequently, the whole visual identity for this region was created.

EYE TO EYE

Maryna Zevako 2023

Ukrainian work from the wartime period inspired a design that blends Ukrainian ethnicity and tradition with contemporary mass market motifs. Phrases like “око в око” or “козак з казок” are featured on vintagemarket-sourced clothing. Photo: Alta Nguyen.

JUICY & RAP

Maxim Pavlyuk, Lera Sxemka WE BAD 2020

Bed sheets design in collaboration with the Ukrainian brand Pomiatoe. Photo: GORSAD.

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Zhenya’s work, as well as the approach by Synchronized Studio that she’s leading, could be described as a combination of commercial problem solving and creative explorations of ideas, visual strategies, and innovative experiences.

Curated by Anna Sarvira, Pictoric

Illustration: Anna Andreieva

German, and Belgian friends, We established the NGO KUL’TURA e.V. and began conducting international cultural projects with Ukrainian artists, writers, etc.

Anna Sarvira

[Pictoric]

Ever since I was a kid, I loved drawing and reading books. That made me want to become an illustrator, especially for children’s books. It was awesome seeing my own books in print and kids enjoying them. But over the last eight years, I’ve learned that illustration isn’t just about kids’ books. It can also tackle big social issues and grab people’s attention. I’m amazed how illustration can do more than just tell stories— it can change the world.

Nastia Sleptsova

[Illustrator & Artist]

It may sound cliché, but it all started in my childhood. I used to draw all the time when I was a kid. Later, I attended art school where, among various talents, visual art resonated with me the most. It was quite organic for me to pursue studies in art and graphic design, and I have always tried to “do my own thing”—partly because growing up in a small city didn’t promise a lot of opportunities. Thus, I learned how to do things independently. I guess it’s still my favorite part: working on my personal projects and ideas and being driven by something I am experiencing and living through, something I’m thinking about.

Daria Titarenko

[Graphic Designer]

That was a pure accident (well, like most of my so-called “big life decisions”). While applying to study graphic design, I was introduced to Prof. Oleg Veklenko, who was teaching at Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Art. I didn’t have a clue about graphic design, posters, or visual identities. Basically, I wanted to see what’s out there in other fields of design (I just finished my three years studying fashion design, which turned out to be a great experience in modeling and drawing, and still I didn’t get what all this design was about).

Prof. Veklenko set up our first meeting in the office of The 4th Block Eco-Poster

Triennial, where I saw (for the first time!) thousands and thousands of posters. Huge formats. Landscape formats. Rice Paper (some Japanese authors were really nerdy with the materials they used). Neon colors. Golden paint. My jaw just dropped. And when I was told that he was looking for an assistant / secretary / manager who will help with organizing poster events and who will correspond with the international design community, I was naive enough to offer my help.

It was 2010; I was a freshman at KSADA and simultaneously a manager of The 4th Block Triennal. What was a shot in the dark turned out later into the most exciting life journey. Being a designer, being involved in cultural and social processes in a society, being in a creative dialog with the international design and art community fulfills my professional life. And yeah, golden Pantone color on posters will always bring me joy.

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HOW HAS YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE AND YOUR WORK CHANGED SINCE THE WAR STARTED?

Yevgeniy Anfalov

Got more interested in history and politics. Since the full scale invasion, I’m having the most intensive work years so far.

Kateryna Korolevtseva

This is a complex question, and it’s not easy to answer in a way that people who haven’t experienced war, haven’t heard air raid sirens, haven’t heard Russian missiles overhead, haven’t lived through explosions nearby, and haven’t worried about the lives of their relatives, can understand. In short, life has changed drastically. It has split into “before” and “after.” In the first months after the start of the full-scale war, no one was thinking about design. Everyone was focused on surviving and supporting the army. Now, some civilians have it somewhat easier (depending on the region, of course), but I want people to remember that the war continues, and it’s not getting easier on the front lines. Ukrainians

constantly donate to consistently support the army. And, of course, the creative sphere is not a priority where Ukrainian businesses allocate funds. However, Ukrainians are a very brave nation that believes in a better future, continues to live, and even starts new businesses, collaborates with colleagues from abroad. These collaborations are crucial for us, but not only for us because Ukrainian design is very progressive and bold, and we have something valuable to offer to the world at a high level. Speaking about myself, I’ve shifted my focus towards sharing knowledge about deep Ukrainian cultural and typographic heritage, undertaking personal projects, and engaging in public speaking, such as speaking at ATypI Paris 2023 and Typographics 2023.

Mykola Kovalenko

Experiencing a war in your country is painful. My mother remains in the occupied territory, causing daily stress. Since the onset of this aggression, I have been creating a poster against war each day.

Sasha Maslov

Well, before the full-scale invasion of 2022 (the war started in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the takeover of Eastern regions of Ukraine by Russia) I lived a rather calm life in New York. I moved to NYC in 2008 and worked as a photographer for local publications. With the full-scale invasion I couldn’t remain in the States and I felt a sort of duty to come back to my country to help to tell the world about this brutal war, stories of people who fight it and suffer from it. It is also the biggest cataclysm Europe has experienced since World War II, and the result of this war will determine not only the future of Ukraine but of the entire continent and the world. So it’s a historical event that is hard to overestimate and I wanted to be a part of it.

Mariia Norazian

When the war started, Ilya and I immediately started making postcards and posters about supporting Ukraine with links to funds that collect money for Ukrainians. At the beginning of the war, I made an informative poster about news from Ukraine

every day. I worked in this mode for the first two months, then I got tired and now I make a poster in support of Ukraine when I feel the need for it or at the request of fellow volunteers. Since the beginning of 2022, I have done many volunteer design projects for charitable and volunteer organizations that support Ukraine. This kind of work helps me to cope with the anxiety and powerlessness that come over me from time to time, especially after reading the news.

Illya Pavlov

It was rather an internal change as I lived in Austria since 2019 already. Actually, it was very strange to see not many changes around me while I felt so stressed and depressed for the first three months of war. I crashed my car when picking up my parents from the Ukrainian / Hungarian border because I couldn’t concentrate on the road after watching a video with the first rocket destroying the main administrative building in Kharkiv which was 500 meters from both my home and studio. I understood then how bad things were.

Dr. Kateryna Rietz-Rakul

If you mean the full invasion of 2022, well, my day has expanded to 12–14 hours. I have been living in Berlin for 20 years, so I feel that being safe, having electricity and heat all the time, I have to do more and not be allowed to get tired and give up.

Anna Sarvira

I’m currently more involved in volunteer and social projects, considering it a crucial part of supporting Ukraine. Unfortunately, I meet fewer people nowadays; making plans with friends requires a significant effort, often involving extensive travel and occurring infrequently. I’ve put a pause on my personal drawing projects. I’m optimistic about resuming them soon, but at the moment, I lack the energy and inspiration to do so—in 2023, I did not complete even one of my own projects. Constantly staying updated with the news has become a new habit of mine. I check it more frequently than ever before, feeling a sense of unease if I can’t stay informed about the situation in Ukraine every hour. My phone even

This observation didn’t seem significant then, but it stayed with me, highlighting the subtle differences in approaches and mindsets between countries. It’s a reminder that variations in culture and history manifest in small details, neither superior nor inferior, just distinct—like smoother roads on the one side, and more punctual trains on the opposite.

In Dnipro, my hometown, a unique advertiser emerged: the “ПЄЧНІК” (“Pechnik”), a craftsman for real fire stoves. His method of marketing was unconventional. Using a spray can, he wrote “ПЄЧНІК” (“Pechnik”) and his phone number everywhere—on walls, fences, and vertical surfaces. Initially unremarkable, his tag became a city-wide symbol. Two factors made it extremely recognizable. He maintained a consistent style: two lines, left-aligned, the same proportions and composition everywhere. More notably, his tag was ubiquitous, covering the entire city and its outskirts. I saw it from the window of my office, when I was riding my bike, or walking with friends. One day this tag appeared on my house. This widespread presence made “Pechnik” a household name, recognized by almost everyone in this city of a million. People, initially surprised, would soon acknowledge its omnipresence. Despite municipal efforts to clean them, these tags persisted, often reappearing in the same spots.

Legends abounded about the “Pechnik.” Some speculated it was a covert advertisement for drug dealers, others thought it was a strange prank by an anonymous street artist. But the truth was straightforward—he really was a stove serviceman. This had been verified. Over time, the “ПЄЧНІК” became recognized and acknowledged as an integral part of the city’s psychogeographical landscape, alongside folk toponyms, the skyline, and the massive work of Olafur Eliasson depicting dawn over the Dnipro River, visible from many points in the city. Yes, it was vandalism, but it became something greater in the eyes of the citizens and acquired its own value.

Kostiantyn Trundaiev created a limited series of t-shirts featuring this graffiti. In collaboration with Olga Zelenska, we created a series of photographs showcasing the “Pechnik” graffiti in the cityscape. The musician Ship Her Son dedicated a musical composition to it in his album. Tattoo artist Orest Keltov inked residents with tattoos replicating the original tag. I would have gotten one too, if tattoos weren’t contraindicated for me.

One day, a friend called me and burst into laughter when I shared what I was up to. Me and my studio partner, Oleksii Salnykov, had been wandering Kyiv’s streets, selectively collecting announcements from boards on buildings and bus stops. These were mostly horizontal A5–A7 paper scraps, riso-printed, advertising everything from apartment rentals to fortune-telling. The designs were basic, often using Arial Black to catch the eye, avoiding narrow fonts for simplicity. The color palettes were straightforward— mainly primary colors, with a splash of color meant to instinctively draw attention.

The Pechnik’s tag.

Despite their abundance, these announcements weren’t a popular source for services, due to the low service quality and fraud risks. Many were set in Russian, targeting less discerning clients. Their low effectiveness was counterbalanced by the cheapness and volume of distribution. The information doesn’t live long: it’s more like a shout in the street than a library. In a few days, the top layer of the announcement board will be completely renewed.

Traveling around Ukraine, we began to collect examples of vernacular design, photographing various signs and announcements, keeping the most intriguing ones without causing harm. We quickly noticed regional differences in the visual language of these street messages. In the industrialized east, we found bold, confident inscriptions. Chernihiv, steeped in history, displayed traces of late postmodern typography from the 90s. Lviv’s unhurried pace was reflected in its subtle Art Nouveau-influenced handwritten notes. The capital presented a blend of styles. While these styles varied, they shared more similarities than differences. To a keen observer, these fleeting artifacts revealed as much about a place as its significant landmarks.

Reflecting on vernacular design, I find myself reminiscing about another event—one of the most significant, not only in my life but also in the life of my country.

In the winter of 2013–2014, a series of historic events unfolded with our government’s unexpected refusal to sign an EU association agreement, defying public demand. This ignited nationwide protests, escalating when peaceful demonstrators were forcibly dispersed. Known as the Revolution of Dignity, this movement marked a decisive shift away from Soviet and Russian dominance. The fleeing of the traitorous president to Russia led to a further crisis as Russia exploited the political turmoil to initiate a premeditated war against Ukraine, seizing Crimea and parts of the east of Ukraine.

Left: Graffiti with the name of the town Sniatyn on a police shield, seized by protesters during the Revolution of Dignity. Right: The “headquarters” sign in the protesters’ camp during the Revolution of Dignity.

The Naked Books, a curated bookshop in The Naked Room gallery run by the ist publishing team. Their collection features over 500 titles globally, including books, magazines, photobooks, and artbooks. Located in the heart of Kyiv, TNB showcases curated visual and text publications on contemporary culture, art, society, comics, architecture, photography, and design. Discover rare selfpublished editions from Ukrainian photographers and artists, adding an exclusive touch to your collection.

Bolnichka unfolds as the photographic diary of Vladyslav Krasnoshchok, an artist and maxillofacial surgeon from Kharkiv. This surrealist narrative intertwines dark medical humor to vividly depict the ailing condition of Ukraine’s postSoviet medical system. The series unveils the harsh realities of strenuous work within outdated infrastructures, where meager salaries for medical professionals stand dramatically disproportionately to their immense responsibility.

Bolnichka / Vladyslav Krasnoshchok / MOKSOP / 2023 / 20 × 18 cm

During the 1990s, Oleksandr Chekmenev resided in Luhansk, accompanying ambulance crews as a photographer. The result is the photo series Pharmakon, captured without restraint. Chekmenev candidly portrays the harsh realities he witnessed, from the gruesome aftermath of family disputes to chilling scenes of lifeless bodies. This compelling photo series was published as a photobook in 2021. Pharmacon / Oleksandr Chekmenev / 89books/ 2021 / 17 × 23 cm

Solomiya is an independent magazine showcasing Ukrainian art and culture. It features emerging and established Ukrainian creatives using various forms of expression from visual arts to personal experiences, emotional observations, and intellectual discourses. The magazine offers diverse perspectives on current realities and social issues in Ukraine and beyond. It’s published annually in English with unconventional design and exceptional visuals. Solomiya / SHIFT BOOKS / annually from 2022 / 23 × 31 cm

Sasha Maslov’s photographic series

Ukrainian Railroad Ladies captures portraits of women in pivotal roles within Ukraine’s railways. The project explores the persistence of these roles in the 21st century and the broader railroad system’s anthropological and social dimensions. The photographs symbolize resilience and continuity, embodying an unwavering connection to the past amidst the relentless march of trains and time.

Ukrainian Railroad Ladies / Sasha Maslov / Osnovy / 2020 / 16.5 × 21 cm

The Naked Books

Reytarska 21/13, 01054 Kyiv, Ukraine

booksnaked@gmail.com

Mon.–Sun.: 12 p.m.–9 p.m.

Znak is a research project undertaken by the U,N,A collective (Uliana Bychenkova, Nika Kudinova, and Aliona Solomadina). The project aims to uncover archive materials, identify key figures, describe processes, and emphasize influences in Ukrainian graphic design. The resulting publication presents a seamless integration of visual and textual narratives, providing insights into the chronological development of the field from the 20th-century avant-garde until now. Znak. Ukrainian Trademarks 1960–1980s / U,N,A collective / ist publishing / 2019 / 21.5 × 18.5 cm

I Love You is an artbook by Katya Lesiv documenting how the rhythms of life of two particular peonies overlap as an exploration of maturity and appreciation for their natural manifestations. A small edition of 500 copies was carefully stitched by the author herself. “By accepting and embracing the rhythmicity of the manifestations of life, we can appreciate the beauty and abundance that surrounds us, ”Lesiv points out.

I Love You / Katya Lesiv / ist publishing / 2019 / 20 × 30 cm

For more than a decade, Maks Burienok has been into Ukrainian music and organizing music events in Kharkiv. He currently works as a journalist and music critic for Kharkivbased media Lyuk. This compilation was prepared with the help of his colleague Oleksandra Ponomarenko, who kindly provided the translation.

Ukraine’s top live band recorded its first full-length album in Ukrainian during the COVID-19 pandemic. The album reflects on the experience of forced isolation, and in some places, conveys a sense of danger.

ВГНВЖ (Tram Drivers) / Вогнепальне (Gunshot wound) / 2021

Oleh Kadanov is a renowned figure in Kharkiv’s music scene. This album marks his debut as a solo artist and delves into more personal themes. It was recorded prior to the full-scale invasion in a studio that was later destroyed while under Russian occupation.

Олег Каданов & Стас Кононов (Oleh Kadanov & Stas Kononov) /

Чи то так, чи то ні (Either yes or no) / 2022Banabila / 2021

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Kharkiv resident Ihor Lytvynenko has created a new project that captivates you with its simplicity and ease. His songs evoke a positive emotional response. Село Близнюків (The Village of Twins) / З лану до столу (From the Field to the Table) / 2023

The Lviv-based band of Marian Pirozhok offers a musical reinterpretation of the oeuvre of Ukrainian poets. This album serves as a documentary and musical excursion into the period when Bohdan-Ihor Antonych’s poetry was written.

Пиріг і Батіг (Pie and Whip) / Зелений (Green) / 2023

This Slobozhanshchyna trio has surpassed the status of a mere “prank that got out of control.”

On their latest album, the group no longer raps about rural life, but instead elevates their lyrics to a more sophisticated level, conveying a sense of seriousness between the lines.

Курган & Agregat (Kurgan & Agregat) / Зенбоджу (Zenboju) / 2021

Stepan Burban began his career as a rap artist and has since expanded his horizons beyond the genre of rap music. The album features a notable track called Люцифер (Lucifer) which is dedicated to the Sknyliv tragedy of 2002, making it one of the most memorable and impactful pieces in the history of Ukrainian music. Паліндром (Palindrome) / Придумано в черзі (Invented in Queue) / 2022

This band is one of the best representatives of alternative pop in Ukraine at the moment. The selftitled track, featuring saxophonist Andrii Barmalii, is a great example of this genre.

Тонка (Thin) / Загублену весну (Lost Spring) / 2023

Between their first and second album, the band underwent a lineup change and shifted away from electronic music towards a guitar-driven sound. As a result, they found stronger chemistry with each other. This is considered one of the best works of the past year.

Disappeared Completely / Pretty Average / 2023

Lyuk Media @lyuk.media

Scan the QR code or follow this link to listen to the Playlist: shorturl.at/besY2

Stas Koroliov is a versatile artist in general, but this song is particularly noteworthy. It is based on Google searches made by Ukrainians during the first weeks of the full-scale invasion. The result is a five-act jazz-rock piece with moods that shift like a roller coaster. Стас Корольов (Stas Koroliov) / Який день війни? (What Day of the War?) / 2022

The side project of ВГНВЖ began documenting the reality surrounding them from the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The track зв’язка ключів (A Bunch of Keys) is particularly poignant, describing the emotions of those forced to flee their homes for the second time in a decade.

Антон Слєпаков & Андрій Соколов (Anton Slepakov & Andriy Sokolov) / warнякання (splutter) / 2023

Nadiia Pechurkina was born in Donetsk. Her EP from last year is conceptually pleasing and the song Навпіл (In Half) is particularly catchy.

sucilna_nevdacha.exe & Тощо (Complete Failure & Etc) / Перша зірка на небі (First Star in the Sky) / 2023

Vadym Lazariev, a sound producer and member of the band 5 Vymir, has released a solo album that is ambitious and unique. While it might not appeal to a broad audience, it will definitely interest enthusiasts. The joint song with the band Ragapop is particularly noteworthy.

meerkur / ▲ / 2023

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АБВГҐДЕЄЖЗИІЇЙКЛМНОПРСТУФХЦЧШЩЮЯ

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Gy Grotesk by Maksym Kobuzan

Zakznak, zakznak.com, 2022

Styles & Weights: 3 styles: Key, Wide, Grand; each in 9 weights from Thin to Black

Language support: Latin / Cyrillic OpenType features available.

Optimized for web.

Test version available: on request

Cy Grotesk is the result of combining the clear forms of mid 20thcentury neo-grotesks and the expressiveness of the grotesques. It’s a display type family with an eccentric character and a special rhythm. The symbols have long sharp-angled spurs, smooth curves, and a closed aperture.

50.4504° N, 30.5245° ₤₣↘ Sunflower by Neil Diamond After Rain comes Tears

Це все? �●

Підтримуйте один

УКРАЇНА!

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одного.

абвгґдеєжзиіїйклмнопрстуфхцчшщьюя

АБВГҐДЕЄЖЗИІЇЙКЛМНОПРСТУФХЦЧШЩЮЯ

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Depicto by Michael Rafailyk

michaelrafailyk.com, 2023

Styles: Mono, Mosaic

Language support: Latin / Greek / Cyrillic / Hebrew

OpenType features available.

Optimized for web.

Test version available: on request

Depicto is a pixelated typeface with asymmetrical serifs intended to depict emojis in coarse mosaic shapes, represented in two styles that complement each other perfectly: Mono (casual font) and Mosaic (color font). The main font feature is a set of 600+ pictograms that can be activated using the Stylistic Set 1 and typed right in a text with keywords like :smile: / :happy: / :sad: / :pear: / :rose: / :horse: / :bike: / :house: and so on.

Writing in pixels is fun! “How

Alex

Kristina

Oleksandra

Anastasiia

SLANTED MAGAZINE

TYPOGRAPHY & DESIGN CULTURE

SPRING / SUMMER 2024

43 UKRAINE

PUBLISHER

Slanted Publishers UG (haftungsbeschränkt)

Nördliche Uferstraße 4–6 76189 Karlsruhe Germany

T +49 (0) 721 85 14 82 68 magazine@slanted.de slanted.de

TEAM

Editor in Chief (V.i.S.d.P.)

Lars Harmsen

Co-Editor

Nina Vollmer

Managing Editor

Julia Kahl

Creative Direction

Lars Harmsen

Graphic Design

Nina Vollmer, Juliane Nöst

Final Design

Juliane Nöst, Julia Kahl

SLANTED WEBLOG

Editor in Chief (V.i.S.d.P.)

Julia Kahl

Editors

slanted.de/editors

VIDEO

Video Interviews slanted.de/videos

ISBN: 978-3-948440-71-8

ISSN 1867-6510

Frequency 2 × p. a. (Spring / Summer, Autumn / Winter)

Copyright

© Slanted Publishers, 2024

Nördliche Uferstraße 4–6, 76189 Karlsruhe Germany

All rights reserved.

222

PRODUCTION

Printing

Stober Medien GmbH

Eggenstein / Germany stober-medien.de

Bookbinding

Buchbinderei Schaumann GmbH

Darmstadt / Germany buchbinderei-schaumann.de

Cardboard Cover

ina®star 1S, 330 g/sm

Paper Inside Visual Part

Condat matt Périgord, 135 g/sm

Distributed by Inapa Deutschland Hamburg / Germany inapa.de

Paper Inside Text Part

Holmen Trnd 2.0, 80 g/sm

Manufactured by Holmen Paper AB

Norrköpping / Sweden holmen.de

Spot Color

HKS Warenzeichenverband e. V.

Stuttgart / Germany

hks-farben.de

HKS 44 N

Fonts

KyivType, 2019

Design: Dmitry Rastvortsev / rastvor.com.ua

Trembita, 2022

Design: Zakhar Kryvoshyya

Label: zakznak / zakznak.com

Kalmenyar, 2022

Design: Zakhar Kryvoshyya

Label: zakznak / zakznak.com

Suisse Int’l , 2011

Design: Swiss Typefaces Design Team

Label: Swiss Typefaces / swisstypefaces.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscribe to Slanted Magazine and support what we do. Magazines via subscriptions are at a reduced rate and get shipped directly at release, for free within Germany.

slanted.de/subscription

2-Issues-Subscription

€ 40.– + shipping

4-Issues-Subscription

€ 80.– + shipping

Student Subscription

2 issues for € 37.– + shipping

Gift Subscription

2 issues wrapped as present for € 42.– + shipping

2-Issues-Subscritpion + related Special Editions

2 issues + 2 special editions for € 60.– + shipping

4-Issues-Subscritpion + related Special Editions

4 issues + 4 special editions + free issue for € 120.– + shipping

SALES AND DISTRIBUTION

Slanted Magazine can be purchased online, in selected bookstores, concept stores, and galleries worldwide. If you own a shop and would like to stock Slanted Magazine or other publications from us, please get in touch:

Contact / Distribution DE

Julia Klose, T +49 (0) 721 85148268

julia.klose@slanted.de

Distribution UK

Public Knowledge Books / publicknowledgebooks.com

Distribution US

Small Changes / smallchanges.com

Distribution EU & WORLD Idea Books / ideabooks.nl

Slanted Shop slanted.de/shop

Retail & Distribution slanted.de/distribution

ADVERTISING

We offer a wide range of advertising possibilities online and in print. For advertising inquiries please get in touch with:

Julia Kahl (advertising management / sales) +49 (0) 721 851 482 68, julia.kahl@slanted.de slanted.de/publisher/advertising

AWARDS (SELECTION)

ADC of Europe

ADC Germany

Annual Multimedia

Berliner Type

DDC

Designpreis der BRD

European Design Awards

Faces of Design Awards

iF communication design award

German Design Award

Laus Awards

Lead Awards (Weblog des Jahres & Visual Leader)

red dot communication design awards

Type Directors Club NY

Tokyo Type Directors Club

Werkbund Label

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to thank everyone who followed our call for submissions online in autumn 2023 and submitted nearly 1,500 illustrations, photos, graphics, artworks, and texts. It was not easy to make a selection. Unfortunately, due to the limited scope, we could not depict every work. We hope that for those who did not make it into the magazine, there will be another opportunity in the future.

Without the active support and valuable advice from these individuals, this issue would not have come to fruition: Mariia Norazian, Illya Pavlov, Anna Sarvira, Daria Titarenko—thank you so much!

When you hold this issue in your hands, you have one of three covers that Slanted Magazine #43— Ukraine has been released with. The artworks on the covers are adorned by Mykola Kovalenko (hand), Dasha Podoltseva (face), Anna Sarvira (tiger). Thank you for lending your work to the magazine, giving it a unique appeal!

A very big thank you to Nina Vollmer, who wrote hundreds of emails, oversaw, edited, and designed this issue. It was a pleasure working with you!

A big thanks to Zakhar Kryvoshyya from Zakznak for making your beautiful and expressive typefaces Trembita and Kamenyar available for us—they really shaped the look of our call for entries! Also a huge thanks to Dmitry Rastvortsev for designing such a great and versatile superfamily Kyiv Type!

With the new issue comes a limited 10-piece sticker set featuring designs by Ukrainian creatives, available exclusively as a bundle with the Slanted Magazine in our online shop. For each sold special edition, €5.– will be donated! Thanks also to stickma.de for supporting the production: slanted.de/product/ special-edition-ukraine

This issue has been printed on different, great papers—thank you, Michaela Deckelmann (Inapa Deutschland) and Patrick van den Hoven (Holmen Paper) for your uncomplicated, kind support!

Thanks to our printing partner Stober Medien near Karlsruhe for the perfect printing of this magazine. Thank you, Marcus Grunvinck and the whole team!

In the third generation already, the bookbinding company Schaumann transforms printed sheets into beautiful books. Thank you, Ulrike and Reiner Vettermann, for supporting this passion-driven magazine production!

A big thank you also to ARTHELPS for assisting us in transporting the magazines to Ukraine and to Readellion in Kyiv, which supports us in distributing the issue within Ukraine!

Last but not least: A special thanks to our supporters and fans out there. You help a lot, sharing our work to the world, making Slanted a wonderful community of design interested people. We love you!

DISCLAIMER

The publisher assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of all information. Publisher and editor assume that material that was made available for publishing, is free of third party rights. Reproduction and storage require the permission of the publisher. Photos and texts are welcome, but there is no liability. Signed contributions do not necessarily represent the opinion of the publisher or the editor.

The German National Library lists this publication in the German National Bibliography; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at dnb.de

OUTBURST OF UNITY— HARDENED STEEL Vladyslav Solonyi 2022

224

By combining analog techniques with 3D graphics, Vladyslav’s goal was to find new visual results. This radiant outburst is one of the outcomes.

This Slanted Issue is not about war. Instead, it focuses on amazing individuals from the creative industry in and from Ukraine who are trying to lead “normal” lives, working super hard, doing their best. But is this possible?

At the NEED Conference in Warsaw, in early September 2023, we were encouraged by a Ukrainian delegation to finally realize this issue (“Better now than never!”). Without their help, input, and courage, we would not have wanted or been able to do so. It does not align with our journalistic principles to create an issue about a city or country without being there. From the desk, one cannot see. One cannot “feel.”  With every email, chat, phone call, it became clear how frayed everyone’s nerves are. The entire country is affected. Every single person.  Our curation remains subjective. No matter how diligent we are in weighing every decision, formulation, and piece of work, it will always be deemed wrong, inadequate, or misunderstood. Anthropologies cannot provide a sharp image and meet every expectation. Instead, questions are raised. The call for entries led to nearly 1,000 submissions. The 20 interviews with people in and outside of Ukraine provided answers, insights, and perspectives. Yet, neither offered certainty that we are on the right track in understanding what is really happening. That for sure.

In Ukraine, nothing is safe. “Whether you feel safe or not safe depends on your sense of black humor and self­irony. It takes only 45 seconds for the Russian missile to reach Kharkiv. They do reach us quite regularly. In that situation, the air raid alarm sounds together with the explosion,” writes Pavlo Makov.

Culture and design cannot be separated from content. Many of the works and texts reference the ongoing war that now lasts for over two years. Hope stays, that war will find an end. And design shifts to other topics.

Stay safe. Peace!

All Slanted Magazines are accompanied by video interviews—with the exception of this issue. Have a look at the interviews from Amsterdam to New York … Enjoy!

To watch the videos, please scan the QR code, or visit slanted.de/videos

spring / summer 2024

de € 22 uk £ 25

us $ 30

issn 1867–6510 slanted.de slanted 43 typography & design culture

978-3-948440-71-8