On June 12, the Ukrainian-Japanese Center of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute opened the exhibition Warriors and Flowers, featuring classical Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints alongside works by contemporary Ukrainian artists.
The exhibition presents original ukiyo-e prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Utagawa Kunisada, and Utagawa Toyokuni, as well as works by Ukrainian artists Oksana Stratiiuk and Dmytro Kryshovskyi from the collection of Vitalii Klyshnia. Visitors can also view Warriors and Flowers compositions created in the oshibana technique by Valentyna Protsko and Kateryna Borysova.
The project explores the philosophy, traditions, and visual imagery of Japan through the lens of samurai martial valor and the aesthetics of nature, represented by flowers, complemented by Ukrainian artists' creative reinterpretation of these motifs. In addition to musha-e woodblock prints depicting warriors, the exhibition also features ikebana arrangements and works created in the traditional Japanese oshibana technique using dried and pressed flowers and leaves. The presence of flowers in the exhibition is intentional, creating a striking contrast between the strength of warriors and the delicacy and fragility of blossoms. The practice of creating ikebana and oshibana compositions was an integral part of cultivating concentration and refinement among samurai.
One of the exhibition's highlights is Dmytro Kryshovskyi's work Mamai Samurai. His artistic style is often characterized by irony, boldness, poster-like expressiveness, and profound symbolism. Fascinated by Japanese culture, the artist portrays the iconic Ukrainian Cossack Mamai dressed in traditional samurai armor, creating a unique fusion of Ukrainian and Japanese cultural traditions.
The editorial team of Kyiv Polytechnic expresses its gratitude to the staff of the Ukrainian-Japanese Center of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute for their assistance in preparing this article. The exhibition Warriors and Flowers will be open to visitors until July 31, 2026.
