The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to draw global condemnation with voices from the art, design and architecture world expressing their support for Ukrainians.

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani expressed solidarity with the beleaguered Ukrainians by presenting a silent fashion show at the Milan Fashion Week. Using the international platform to voice his protest, Armani said, "My decision not to use any music was taken as a sign of respect towards the people involved in the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine."  

Speaking to Vogue, he observed, “The clothes became even more powerful through the silence.”

This year’s Venice Art Biennale also saw the resignations of the Lithuanian-born curator Raimundas Malašauskas as well as Russian artists Alexandra Sukhareva and Kirill Savchenkov from the Russian pavilion at the international art exhibition.

Announcing his resignation on Instagram, Malašauskas explained why he couldn’t continue working on the Russian pavilion “in light of Russia's military invasion and bombing of Ukraine”.

"This war is politically and emotionally unbearable. As you know, I was born and formed in Lithuania when it was part of the Soviet Union. I have lived through the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1989 and have witnessed and enjoyed my country’s development ever since. The idea of going back to or forward with living under a Russian or any other empire is simply intolerable,” he wrote.

In an official statement condemning Russia’s military aggression, La Biennale di Venezia said: “As long as this situation persists, La Biennale rejects any form of collaboration with those who on the contrary have carried out or supported such a grievous act of aggression, and will therefore not accept the presence at any of its events of official delegations, institutions or persons tied in any capacity to the Russian government.”

Consequently, the Russian pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale will remain closed.

Expressing solidarity with all those affected by the current Ukrainian conflict, the International Union of Architects (UIA) said, “On behalf of the international community of architects, we condemn any act of violence or war affecting the well-being and dignity of humans, join the global appeal against war and call for the immediate restoration of peace.”

“The UIA was founded in 1948 - after the Second World War - to unite architects around the world and actively participate in the reconstruction of devastated cities and villages. We continue to believe that the greatest obligation of humanity is the preservation of peace,” said UIA president José Luis Cortés.

“As the leading global organisation of architects committed to creating safe and healthy environments, we also call for the protection of the invaluable architectural heritage threatened by this conflict.”

Image: https://www.uia-architectes.org/en/