Nature Morte: The Extermination of Ukraine

Nature Morte: The Extermination of Ukraine is the result of extensive research by British artist Piers Secunda.

Approaching the deliberate destruction of cultural history and national identity through the depiction of traditional Ukrainian dishes and their ingredients, at first sight Nature Morte is an exhibition of still lifes. Based on photographs taken by Secunda during visits to Ukraine in 2024 and 2026, the paintings were made with ink he produced from charcoal gathered in Kharviv, the site of the first Ukrainian Government building destroyed by Russia’s invasion in 2022.

Arranged as pyramids to reflect the power structures behind the kidnapping and forced military training of Ukranian children, and the hierarchies behind the targeted bombing and systematic looting of cultural artefacts, the paintings act as portals to an archive of evidence. Reached via QR codes, the names and faces of the perpetrators are presented alongside extensive supporting material.

The exhibition is complemented by a map of more than five thousand points of damage to cultural sites recorded across Ukraine, and a 40-minute documentary by Secunda’s long-term collaborator David Miller.