“Fragile Reality”

At the gallery attached to the Central Synagogue of Ukraine - opened by the renowned Jewish artist Albert Feldman - where the exhibition “Fragile Reality” was held, featuring works by three generations of artists from the Tolkachev family: Zinovy, Ilya, and the well-known contemporary artist Elena Tolkacheva, I had the honor of receiving a very special award!

The contemporary section of this exhibition features works by Olena Tolkacheva, which depict life in Kyiv and the surrounding region during a full-scale war, as well as that very “fragile reality” experienced firsthand by the residents of the village of Moshchun in 2022

Vadym Zherdetskyi, the village head of Moshchun, who was present at the exhibition, presented me with a letter of appreciation from the Gostomel community - for supporting youth, promoting cultural diplomacy, upholding spiritual and humanitarian values, and assisting youth initiatives in the community

In 2022, this small village became one of the key defensive strongholds of Kyiv. Extremely fierce fighting raged there for more than two weeks, and the liberation of Moshchun became one of the turning points in the defense of the capital. The village paid a terrible price for this - a significant portion of its housing was destroyed or damaged.

Along with their gratitude, I was presented with a very special gift - an exclusive, one-of-a-kind perpetual desk calendar. It features the legendary “Mriya” aircraft and Gostomel Airport - symbols that, since 2022, hold a very special meaning for every Ukrainian!

I sincerely thank the Gostomel community for this gesture, for remembering me, and for this heartfelt gift - even so many years after those events. Items like this are incredibly valuable because of the meaning they carry!