In this column, Ukrainian illustrator Anna Sarvira takes over. How does it feel to be safe and yet knowing that your home is being destroyed? She reflects on the complexity to process the terrible news, feeling guilty, having a comfortable bed to sleep in, and the beauty of the coming spring at the same time.
Anna Sarvira is doing this column for me. I'm very happy about that.
She is an illustrator and co-founder of the Pictoric Illustrators Club. Before the outbreak of the war of aggression, she curated and organized national and international exhibitions together with two friends.
Now she writes and draws about the heavy simultaneity of the coming spring and violent death. About falling asleep, waking up and feeling guilty.
- Susi Bumms
How are you? That’s the question people often ask me these days.She is an illustrator and co-founder of the Pictoric Illustrators Club. Before the outbreak of the war of aggression, she curated and organized national and international exhibitions together with two friends.
Now she writes and draws about the heavy simultaneity of the coming spring and violent death. About falling asleep, waking up and feeling guilty.
- Susi Bumms
And I don’t know what to say. I’m safe, yes. My family and friends are alive, yes.
But every day I see people in my country being killed. Cities, towns and villages in my country being destroyed. And I can‘t stop thinking about that.
How does it feel to be safe knowing others are not? | Illustration: © Anna Sarvira
Every time I go to sleep, I’m scared. Because I will have to wake up and the next day always brings new terrible news. Every time I go to sleep, I feel guilty. Because thousands of people in Ukraine will sleep in basements, with no food or water, with no medical care. Some of them won’t survive the night, I will spend in my comfortable bed.
Everytime I go to sleep, I'm scared | Illustration: © Anna Sarvira
It feels wrong that the nature can be so beautiful right now in spring. It feels like there can’t be anything beautiful in a world that allows thousands of people to die in such a terrible way.
It feels wrong how beautiful the nature can be | Illustration: © Anna Sarvira
“Frankly...“
On an alternating basis each week, our “Frankly ...” column series is written by Susi Bumms, Maximilian Buddenbohm, Sineb el Masrar and Marie Leão. In the “Frankly…visual” column, Susi Bumms observes pop culture and politics, commenting on what she sees through cartoons and pictures.
April 2022