He is Ukraine’s most famous sculptor. Mikhail Reva’s playful and humorous creations have been seen by millions of people and can be found in squares and beaches in his native Odesa, in Kyiv and abroad. His sculptures sum up Odesa’s insouciant view of life. “Odesa has a unique language and spirit. I realised that this city should possess its own plastic art – slightly ironic, a little naive, careless and jocular,” he said.
But Vladimir Putin’s invasion has transformed Reva’s work, as well as that of other Ukrainian artists, prompting him to embrace new and darker forms. The horrors of Bucha and Mariupol – where Russian soldiers executed civilians – inspired him to create a series of extraordinary new sculptures. They might have sprung from a Hoffmann fairytale crossed with a nightmare.
