Art by young refugees on display

It is fascinating to see the world through a child’s eyes, but what about through the eyes of a child who has experienced war? There is chance to see just that with a visit the Community Collections Display case in the lobby of the Goshen Public Library.

All the prints were made by children ages 6 to 15 who fled Ukraine after the Russian invasion on February 22, 2022. First, they fled to Poland, a sympathetic, welcoming country that has a history of having been invaded and occupied by Russia. Some children are still in Poland, but others went to Germany, and a few came to America, another country historically known for being sympathetic to people in war-torn countries.

One child’s painting is of a much-loved Ukrainian airplane, the world’s largest airplane, AN-225, built in Ukraine in the 1980’s. A symbol of Ukrainian nationalism, it was destroyed by the Russians early on when the invasion began. Another child painted images of cranes-a bird that is a national symbol for Ukrainians, representing springtime and hope and peace.

The original artwork from which these prints were made are mostly located in libraries in Ukraine and Europe. A similar display of prints is in a library in Chicago and another in the Homer Babbidge Library, the main library of The University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn.

The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, Branch 59, located in Kerhonkson N.Y., provided this display. If you are interested in learning more about Ukrainian culture, plan to attend the Ukrainian Festival in Kerhonkson the second weekend in July.