ANTON PEDOS
THE COST, 2022 m.
Aliejus drobė, 300 x 800 cm

War. Numerous conflicts accompany the history of humanity. It may even seem that the existential need of humanity is a conflict.
War is one way of waging these conflicts, with its laws and rules that are even sacred to some nationalities.
Nevertheless, no matter how religion assures us of the "sanctity" of this action, war is far from a manifestation of the sacred or "divine revelation."
The war brings ruin and numerous casualties. Both material and physical losses.
This project is about physical losses. About losses that my state, Ukraine, has suffered. Losses during the Russian-Ukrainian war in the eastern regions of Ukraine. War for freedom.
This war took away the best sons and daughters of Ukraine. This war left children without parents and parents without children.
Every person who dies is a potential. The potential for state development. Potential that turned into pain and tears.
The pain of numerical losses. Ukraine greeted its fallen heroes by bending its knees.
Each of them. Unfortunately, there are far more than 4,470 casualties in this war.
However, this is the most complete archive I have been able to find, with information available to mortals.
Therefore, even with all its scale, the project is incomplete.
It is not complete. Since the war is not over, which in my opinion will be eternal.
I was afraid that the memory of people who gave their lives and are still dying for their country is going to dissolve through time.
Depreciation of things like this happening because we as humans are just getting used to it. Getting used to the fact that people die
Hundreds of people die every day. Raising the count of casualties. Raising the count in my paintings.
Raising the value of freedom not only for Ukrainians but for the whole world.
However not every country in the world realized the fact that the Russian-Ukrainian War is not only a war between two countries.
It’s a war between two worlds - democracy and autocracy.
I hope that the moment of enlightenment in the consciousness of rulers of the democracies in the world will be soon.
Hope it will not be too late...".

ANTON PEDOS (born 1998-09-25 ZHMERYNKA. UKRAINE)