PinchukArtCentre presented works by john gerrard, Banksy, Yurii Gruzinov and Oleksiy Sai at the YES Annual Meeting 2026

The 22nd Annual Meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) “Peace Through Strength NOW!” was held on 11-12 September in Kyiv. 700 leading politicians, diplomats, businessmen, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, veterans, civil activists, and experts from 28 countries took part in the YES conference organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

As part of the meeting, PinchukArtCentre presented an exhibition featuring three works created by john gerrard, Banksy, Yurii Gruzinov and Oleksiy Sai. The works address the reality of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the role of Ukraine’s international partners, the economic structures sustaining Russia’s war, and the experience of those fighting on the front line.

The photograph on the main discussion stage was a photograph by Ember of a work by the artist Banksy. The work Judo was painted in Borodyanka, in 2022, onto the wall of a house that had recently been destroyed by Russian aggression and has become an iconic symbol of the Ukrainian resistance.

The work depicts a child throwing a grown-up opponent to the floor in a judo move. The mural has been interpreted as referencing Russian president Vladimir Putin and his association with judo. The mural later became a motif on a Ukrainian postage stamp.

Also presented at the YES Annual Meeting is Flare (Oceania) (2022), a real-time digital simulation by john gerrard. The work creates a virtual world that resonates directly with the reality of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. In the current context, it can be understood in relation to Ukraine’s long-range strategy of imposing its own sanctions on the Russian war economy by destroying oil refineries and strategically important industries across the country.

Even in its title, Flare speaks to a wider message for Ukraine’s allies: dealing with Russia, whether in energy or other sectors, directly contributes to financing its war efforts and, in the longer term, creates vulnerabilities for their own security.

The third work presented by PinchukArtCentre is Land (2026) by Yurii Gruzinov and Oleksiy Sai, a video created from body-camera footage of members of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence (HUR MO) — reconnaissance specialists operating in enemy-controlled territories.

Land brings the front line into the image not primarily through people, but through land, movement and nervousness. Each step isa risk; each open field a possible kill zone. The camera becomes an extension of the body, capturing rapid breathing, every sharp movement and a tense gait that at times breaks into a run.

The work gives a sense of what it means to be a soldier on the frontline, surrounded by technological innovations that can both save a life and take one. Yet war is still fought by people — by infantry clearing zones and taking back territory. The work reminds us not to forget those who risk their lives every day defending Ukraine.

* The artist john gerrard’s name is written in lowercase at the artist’s request.
** Please note that the photograph of Banksy is NOT a self-portrait. It shows the artist at work and was taken by the photographer Ember in Borodyanka in 2022.