Montreal opens ‘Doors’, an exhibit showcasing life in war-torn Ukraine

An exhibition showcasing a year in the lives of the millions of Ukrainians impacted by the Russian invasion is on display at the Montreal Art Center and Museum.

“It’s easy for us here to look away and to get back to our comfortable lives and forget about the horror that people are living through,” said Katherine Smolynec, president of the Ukrainian National Federation in Montreal.

‘Doors’ is the name of the installation where people can get a peek inside life in war-torn Ukraine.

Smolynec says “we wanted to bring tangible examples of the war in the doors and visuals […] to remind people that the war is ongoing.” The installation also displays children’s toys roughed up by bombings from nearby buildings and photos of Ukrainians being forcefully displaced from their homes.

Ukraine-born artist and curator of the installation, Ruslan Kurt, says the project remains a work in progress. Through funding from the Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival, Kurt found the doors through personal connection and had them shipped from Ukraine.

“When you see something in real, it’s something different than when you see it on TV or on social media,” he added. “So, you need to go and physically touch some of our burden. It you can even smell the smell of the war. You can touch the doors, you can go through the doors and then you have the bit there.”

Currently at 13 doors, he hopes to complete the exhibition with 25, each representing the 24 oblasts of Ukraine along with the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Kurt explained that “all the Ukrainians want to see our country as we saw it all our lives – united. With all our provinces liberated and freedom.”

The museum will be running the exhibition until Feb. 24, the same day a candlelight vigil for Ukraine will take place in Montreal downtown’s Dorchester Square.