Anna Sarvira Draws Daily Life in Ukraine

“The city feels tense and anxious,” says Ukrainian graphic artist and curator Anna Sarvira, who is based in the capital city of Kyiv. “Maybe because of the conversations—people are talking about the survival kits, bombs, and Russian troops. Or maybe because of facial expressions—you can see the anxiety in people’s eyes. Or maybe because in the last few months there are fewer people in the streets and cars on the roads.” We asked Sarvira, cofounder of the Pictoric Illustrators Club, to create a story about daily life in Ukraine, a country facing the prospect of war for the second time in a decade. “Probably the weirdest thing we experience here is the inability to plan the future,” says Sarvira. “And this expectation of something terrible ahead is probably the most tiring part.”

[Editorial note from 2/25: Sarvira has made it out of Ukraine, though many family and friends remain there.]

Anna Sarvira, cofounder of the Pictoric Illustrators Club, has created illustrations for UNICEF, the British Council, and Coca-Cola. Her work has appeared in exhibitions in Italy, South Korea, and Ukraine.