An oil painting by American artist Zhenya Gershman depicting a photograph taken by Anadolu Agency (AA) photojournalist Wolfgang Schwan in Kharkiv, Ukraine during the Russian military invasion has sold for $100,000 at an auction in the United States.
A statement by Heritage Auctions says Gershman painted an oil painting of the photograph of Olena Kurilo, with her head bandaged and blood on her face, taken by Schwan during the Russian military operation on Feb. 24. The iconic photo became the symbol of war, revealing the brutal face of the Russian military operation as an example of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine right after it was taken.
The statement added that the revenue of the painting, titled "First Face of War: Intimate Portrait of Ukrainian Teacher, 2022," will be donated to the Ukraine Red Cross Society.
"You see that civilians are the ones who suffer the most due to this conflict. In any conflict, it is most important to highlight the suffering of people who are not active participants. It helps us see the suffering of the terrified civilians," Schwan said in a statement about the photo he took.
Painter Gershman also expressed her belief in the power of art and said, "I believe that a simple act of depicting the truth in a painting can change the world. I was an idealist and I knew something good would come out of this work."
