An art dealer from Ukraine who was forced out of his home country is exhibiting at Aberdeen Art Fair this weekend.
Mykola Zinchenko, who established Promotion Gallery, works with around 30 artists from Ukraine.
He had to leave behind his home and work to save his family after Russia invaded six months ago.
The 33-year-old has been in the UK since May and has lived in Aberdeen for the past two months.
“When the war started I had to leave my country to save my family and thanks to the Scottish Government we were granted visas,” he said. “I’m grateful to the Scottish people and government. They’ve been kind to us.
“Here I’m continuing to develop my professional activities and am exploring opportunities by promoting Ukrainian art and bringing attention to the situation there.
“I’m sending funds raised to the artists that are now in Ukraine and need it more than ever.”
Sharing Ukrainian culture
Mr Zinchenko’s family business in Ukraine, an auction house, was established in 1995.
He has been selling art through an online marketplace for the past decade and set up Promotion Gallery five years ago to exhibit contemporary art.
“We had everything in Ukraine,” he said. “Now we’re having to start again from the beginning.”
Aberdeen Art Fair is giving him and the artists he works with the opportunity to share their art with a new audience.
“We’re bringing Ukrainian art and sharing the culture,” he continued. “The main mission is to support the creative sector in Ukraine and spread the culture around the world.
“One day there will hopefully be a cultural centre in Great Britain where we can make exhibitions.”
This weekend, Promotion Gallery and fellow Ukrainian gallery, Lysenko, will be exhibiting in Scotland for the first time.
Nataliya Lysenko is travelling up from London for the event with another collection of artworks which will “enhance the stand”.
They will feature the work of a number of Ukrainian artists, including Vachagan Norazyan, Volodymyr Koziuck, Olexandr Khrapachov and Tanya Vasilenko.
Promotion Gallery will be on stand 16 at Aberdeen Art Fair in the Music Hall this weekend. It is open between 6pm and 9pm on Friday and between 10am and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Conversation