December 18, 2023

An Anti-War Art Awakening


An Anti-War Art Awakening
Zless's piece "Greed is Good," in which a Russian doll with dirty hands clutches a Ukrainian sunflower. Zless

"Zless anti-war art deals with the war in Ukraine, human rights and politics in Russia. It fights against indifference."

That's what artist Zless says about their works. Even the name beneath which they hide their identity, "Z-less," is a nudge away from propaganda and toward truth.

Zless's medium combines two Russian staples: Orthodox icons and matryoshka dolls. However, these doll-icons are decorated with motifs and symbols to bring the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and its aftermath, into focus.

Dolls with dirty hands clutch sunflowers, messaging the "stealing" of Ukraine. A blue figure is marked "red doll," an obvious untruth. One doll is riddled with bullet holes; another sports zelenka, the blue-green antiseptic dye that antiwar protester Elena Milashina was doused with.

By placing the innocence of a traditional doll and the nobility of ancient Christianity alongside modern horrors, Zless underscores the injustice of the invasion of Ukraine.

And yet, while the art is a call for peace, it's not anti-Russian, threading a fine line with skill.

You Might Also Like

Preserving 1000 Years of Russian Art
  • March 01, 2008

Preserving 1000 Years of Russian Art

This revered museum is the world’s largest repository of Russian art. Often overshadowed by the Hermitage, this 110-year-old institution may be one of St. Petersburg’s best kept secrets. But it is not to be missed. In fact, if you visit St. Petersburg and miss the Russian Museum, it is like going to Moscow and skipping Red Square.
A Wall of Resistance
  • February 27, 2023

A Wall of Resistance

A Russian shopkeeper's picture went viral after using the walls of his shop to express opposition to the invasion of Ukraine.
Worthy of Aivazovsky's Brush
  • September 19, 2021

Worthy of Aivazovsky's Brush

If you love the sea, Ivan Aivazovsky is your man. Everyone should know about this Armenian-Russian painter.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955