“We didn’t know how we, people who work with their hands, could help the guys at the front,” 17-year-old Pavlo told TVP World. "We were in the furniture business, but when the conflict escalated, we couldn't just stand by and do nothing. We wanted to contribute something meaningful, something that would support our army and remind people of the sacrifices being made."
The skills they had gained from making furniture, they realized, could be applied to making art from old shell cases. The transformed munition pieces could then be sold on both the domestic and international markets to provide funds for desperately needed military equipment.
To do this, the two, who live close to the south-eastern city of Dnipro, teamed up with local artists.
Working with the likes of Lilia Stepenova, an internationally recognised artist from Dnipro, the two started to take items such as 105-mm caliber shell cases or cartridge cases from heavy-machine gun rounds and adorn them with pictures.
Some carry folksy images that hark back to more peaceful times and come in stark contrast to the lethal nature of the munition. Others are adorned with patriotic images, laced with Ukrainian symbols or the blue and yellow of the national flag.
"Every piece we create tells a story," 17-year-old Pavlo told TVP World. "It's not just about the art; it's about honoring our soldiers and showing the world that even in the face of adversity, Ukrainians are resilient and creative."
But collecting the old shell cases meant going to the front.
“We have an acquaintance who is on the front line, and he said that we can come and collect all these fragments, and in return we provide humanitarian aid,” said Pavlo. “It can be food, thermal underwear, anything. So we travel ourselves, my father and I, collect all these things, and provide the soldiers with humanitarian aid.
"Collecting these fragments from the front lines was both heartbreaking and motivating. Seeing firsthand the sacrifices our soldiers make, we knew we had to do more than just donate. We wanted to create something that would inspire people and raise awareness internationally."
To raise awareness outside Ukraine has proved problematic for the father and son duo.
A large batch of 15 pieces was confiscated by German authorities unaccustomed to finding spent ammunition cases in customs. Problems over the legal export of their work have now been largely resolved but the two are always looking for ways to promote and market their art abroad in order to boost sales and to get the message of Ukraine’s defiance to a broader audience as possible.
"The main goal is to help the army and show people that Ukraine is a victim of terrorism by Russia. That even during the war, Ukrainians can turn all these fragments and all these horrible things into art,” said Pavlo.
“This art inspires people. I see that it inspires people, making them more patriotic, making them take the war more seriously because it reminds them of everything."
