Ukrainian Artist Anastasiia Liubas: I Create Paintings That Tell the Story of the War in Ukraine

Anastasiia Liubas is a Ukrainian artist and  the founder of the brand "Liubas Brend" whose debut exhibition, "Life. Love. Death", was held when she was just 16 years old. Her ink paintings depict the events unfolding in Ukraine during russia's full-scale invasion. Each of her works is meticulously thought out because, for her, the most important aspect is the meaning she conveys through them. Anastasiia shared with Drive Music Media the consequences she has faced due to the war, her debut exhibition "Life. Love. Death", and how she portrays russia’s war crimes on Ukrainian soil.

Interviewer: How and when did you decide to become an artist? What were your first steps in this field?

Anastasiia: My first steps began in childhood. As my grandmother recalls: "You always loved sitting at your little desk and drawing, you didn’t even want to go to the store with me. And when I came back home, you were still drawing." I've had a passion for creativity since I was little. I attended various clubs as a child, but I always chose to draw. Looking back at my school years, I always eagerly awaited art classes.

However, school wasn’t the best place for me. In middle school, I was quiet, only spoke to a few classmates, and my academic performance declined. I didn’t like school, and in my final year, I spent most of my time at the back of the classroom drawing instead of focusing on lessons. Then the full-scale war began, and I stopped attending online classes altogether. Some teachers believed I had no future due to my poor grades. But when I graduated, I felt a huge sense of relief. Art and I –we are always together. So being an artist is my calling, and I realized this at a very young age.

Interviewer: Most of your works are dedicated to russia's war against Ukraine. Tell us about the turning point when you started telling the stories of Ukrainians during the full-scale war through your ink paintings.

Anastasiia: I started painting war-related works while creating the "Death" series, which was part of my exhibition "Life. Love. Death".

I lived in darkness, spent most of my time within four walls. I began transferring all my despair onto paper. And with each new painting, I realized – "I will continue creating them". And to this day, I create paintings that tell the story of the war in Ukraine.

Interviewer: Tell us about your painting "Ruined Cities Frozen on Bones".

Anastasiia: Loss of home, the death of loved ones, and shattered plans for the future.

This painting is about the cities destroyed by russia. It broke the lives of Ukrainians who can no longer return home – because it no longer exists. Beneath the rubble of buildings lie many hearts that no longer beat. There is no sound of children's laughter on playgrounds. The streets have become empty. russians have taken the lives of many people. Hatred toward them.

Interviewer: Why did you choose ink as your medium? What attracts you to this technique?

Anastasiia: Just a few years ago, I had no idea I would work with ink. I was constantly searching, experimenting with different techniques and materials: acrylic, gouache, markers, colored pencils. These explorations led me to graphics. I remember how it all started with sketches of dragons, lizards, and various creatures. Back then, I didn't have my own style or artistic signature.

But now, after working in graphics for three years, I can say – I’m in love with my craft!

I created my own unique style, refined my execution technique, and continue working on my paintings, addressing important topics of today.

Interviewer: Tell us about your exhibition "Life. Love. Death". How did you prepare for it? What works were displayed? What key meanings did you embed in this exhibition?

Anastasiia: The exhibition "Life. Love. Death" was my debut. At just 15 years old, I began working on paintings for this exhibition, which convey pain, emotions, and lost feelings.

How it all began.

I was broken. I felt shattered.

I remember very clearly that October morning in 2022 when russia launched mass missile strikes on Ukraine, and power outages began. That morning, I was terrified. Out of fear, I did something I had been contemplating for a long time, and it hit me hard. I realized – my heart was broken. There was a full-scale war in my country, and I lost an important person who was dear to my heart because of my own confession, for which I blamed myself for a long time. I felt empty. In despair, I started painting what I felt at that moment. I depicted a dinosaur sitting among letters, crying. Surrounding it was nature trying to comfort it, but it was all in vain because the pain was unbearable.

This work had the stylistics of a children's book illustration but carried adult themes. In this painting, I portrayed myself. The painting, "Untitled", became the beginning of my new path.

Time passed.

In November, I had only four works in hand. With them, I went to the creative cluster "Na poshti", where I shared their stories. At that moment, I realized – "I have a year to bring my idea to life". And so, the process of creating works began. I divided them into three themes, which led to the exhibition's name – "Life. Love. Death".

Total number of works: 45

The exhibition featured the following paintings:

From the "Life" series:

"The Main Thing Is Not to Drown", "Family", "What They Quietly Talk About";

From the "Love" series:

"Untitled", "Why Can’t You Sleep?", "Search";

From the "Death" series:

"The Genocide of the Ukrainian People", "Is This a Childhood?", "Place of Lost Souls".

The main idea of the exhibition was to show the other side of life. The world is often romanticized, but in reality, it holds a lot of sorrow, pain, unchecked cruelty, and a struggle for inner peace. Additionally, I wrote poems and speeches to accompany the paintings.

Interviewer: How difficult is it to continue your artistic path amid russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine? What challenges have you faced?

Anastasiia: Every night before bed, I think about the future of my country. When I paint war, my soul feels heavy. Many people tell me that my works are striking, full of detail, and that my style is unique. But no one truly knows what it feels like to create these paintings. I often cry while working. It hurts.

After three years of full-scale war, I have learned a lot about people. Some remain oblivious, and I have encountered many of them. My attempts to explain that consuming russian content funds their war machine and promotes their propaganda often fall on deaf ears.

It’s painful. I create paintings that expose the horrors of war, yet people continue to listen to russian music and consume content from the aggressor. I cannot forgive this. To me, it is betrayal. Everything that comes from the enemy is destructive.

Another challenge I face is constant anxiety. It’s difficult to focus on one thing when my mind is overwhelmed with thoughts.

Interviewer: You have a very important painting called "Human Cruelty", which highlights people's Indifference to Stray Animals. Can You Tell Us More About It?

Indifference and violence are what rot this world from within. We live among monsters who disguise themselves as people. In this painting, I depicted human hands layered over animals, symbolizing the cruelty inflicted upon defenseless creatures by human hands.

Anyone involved in animal abuse should face criminal charges! 

Furthermore, throughout the full-scale war, countless animals have died due to russian shelling, and many shelters have been destroyed. The russian army is not only massacring our people but also our animals.

Interviewer: What projects are you working on right now?

Anastasiia: Currently, I am dedicating a lot of time to creating new paintings. I am also planning an exhibition, for which I have already gathered a collection of works to showcase. Because I am not yet widely recognized, my work remains largely unseen by a bigger audience. However, I am working tirelessly to change that and achieve success.

Interviewer: What word best represents your art? Why?

Anastasiia: Meaning. I dedicate so much time to my work. Every painting is carefully thought out, down to the smallest details, but most importantly, I embed meaning into each one. My goal is to convey depth, to paint in a way that allows the viewer to "read" the artwork without words.

That’s why meaning is my foundation.

Interviewer: What is your mission as a Ukrainian artist? Why?

Anastasiia: My main mission is to illustrate crucial themes – war, pain, and emotions. The world is merely watching as russia commits genocide against the Ukrainian people, destroys our cities, and attempts to erase our national identity. russia is a country of murderers. I have a clear stance – to speak out loudly about the war and the atrocities committed by russians. Through my art, I depict the suffering of Ukrainians. Art is not just about creating beautiful paintings to frame and hang in a kitchen – it goes much deeper than that.

Pictures were taken by Ivanka Nazaryk