Art and War in Ukraine. Part 3. Aza Nizi Maza - art studio.

Aza Nizi Maza is an experimental art studio in Kharkiv. This is a group of artists working with people of all ages and a wide range of special needs and the work that they do was very interesting and inspiring for quite a few years now. The studio is originally located in a bomb shelter that was left after WWII - it used to be a place for art studios for many artists where I used to do to see "real artists at work". It was a dark and strange place but slowly some great people turned it into a "cave of wonders" and Aza Nizi Maza took it to a new level. 

Many people went to this shelter when the war started. 

I don't know the whole story but when the bombing became a new life for kids in Kharkiv, Aza Nizi Maza went to the subway where many kids in were living. And they started making art with the kids. Bringing their ability to support kids and give them power, materials, and encouragement to draw their hearts out. And that is priceless! 

They slowly covered subway walls with papers and covered them with artworks and words, and then they went beyond. 

Today the studio is back to regular classes. And lots of kids are drawing there. They are making some bags with the kids' artwork, organizing exhibits, and making sure that amid the horror of this war there is light and a place where people are welcome to come and work on their art, have some warm food and some light. It is now a safe and colorful place in so many senses. You can support them by donating to their paypal or purchasing bags with the artworks made in the studio.

These are works created during the war:
The text is in Ukrainian and says: "Let there be no death today. Not for Mom, not for Dad, not for me, not for my goldfish" - here is a link to this work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbelAzANLN3/
 

This one says: "We will win and make everything better" 

Here is an example of the bags: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgWCOFvIRPe/