The exhibition “BRAVE TO LIVE” is the second edition of the LANKA Ukrainian Jewellery Community, dedicated to human resilience in the face of war. The first edition was presented in the spring during Munich Jewellery Week and featured the works of six artists.

This summer, as part of the Lisbon Jewellery Biennial, the project showcases the stories of 11 artists about their personal experiences of the war initiated by Russia against their country.

The exhibition gathers artistic expressions of the horrors and suffering brought by war, the unborn lives and stolen childhoods, and the strength of Ukrainian resistance. The artists share their lost dreams and depict layers of unwanted experiences that will remain in their memories forever. They create their own monuments to the destroyed architectural landmarks of occupied Donbas, trying to endure the pain of loss. Amidst these experiences, hope emerges in the form of fantastical plants and new forms of life.

Each piece is a victory of light over darkness in times of terror and the absence of any illusion of safety.

This audacious bravery to live offers hope for restoration.