On 24 February, the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine will be commemorated in the capital and throughout Latvia. The light and sound installation "Love and War" will displayed in Town Hall Square, the photo exhibition "Three Years of Ukrainian Resilience and Invincibility" will take place in Freedom Square, and Ukrainian flags will be displayed in the centre of Riga.
To continue to show support for Ukraine and to tell the story of how war affects the lives of every Ukrainian, a light and sound installation "Love and War" will be on display in Town Hall Square from 24 to 26 February. The artwork is based on interviews with the artists from their trip to Lviv and Kyiv in autumn of 2023. It reflects the personal stories of six Ukrainians about the impact of the war on their and their family's lives. The artwork is both tragic and full of hope. It brings together more than 120 drawings and animations, telling the personal stories of six Ukrainians. The installation is designed so that the audience can join in at any time, as it is shown in a continuous loop that lasts about 20 minutes. The installation will be displayed in the evenings from 18:00 to 22:00.
The light and sound installation is created by Danish artists Jakob Fälling and Ole Samsøe.
From 24 February to 16 March, a photo exhibition "Three Years of Ukrainian Resilience and Invincibility" will be displayed in Freedom Square. The photo exhibition was created by Ukrainian photographers Konstantin and Vlada Liberov and reveals the harsh reality of Russia's brutal war against Ukraine.
When the war began, photographers Konstantin and Vlada, husband and wife, switched from capturing love stories to documenting the horrors of war. Before Russia's full-scale invasion into Ukraine, they were among Ukraine's most famous wedding photographers, running workshops and educational courses.
Their photographs tell the stories of the bravery of Ukrainian soldiers, the destruction of Bakhmut, the destruction of the Kahovka hydroelectric power station and the sad farewells of fallen heroes. But by capturing these tragic events, they also continue to capture life-affirming moments such as military rehabilitation, weddings and emotional reunions of loved ones.
The exhibition is supported by the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia.
From 20 to 27 February, Ukrainian flags will be displayed on the Riga Congress House Square just across from the Russian Embassy. Ukrainian flag banners will also be displayed on urban billboards in the centre of the capital.
Information was prepared by: Ineta Miglāne, project coordinator, External Communication Division of the Communications Department of the Riga City Council, email: ineta.miglane@riga.lv
