Icon painter Andrii Okhotskyi held a personal exhibition in the USA

Renowned Ukrainian iconographer Andrii Okhotskyi has been collaborating for several years with various charitable organizations and auctions to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and humanitarian funds during these difficult times for the country. As part of his collaboration with prominent art curators, Andrii Okhotskyi received a personal invitation from the USA to hold a solo exhibition of his conceptual works.

Thanks to the active support of former Minister of Finance of Ukraine Natalie Jaresko and her husband John, a separate hall was allocated at the Ukraine House in the US capital, Washington, D.C. The exposition launched on November 9, 2025, at the St. Andrew the First-Called Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Bloomingdale (Illinois). The next stage of the exhibition opened on November 20, 2025, in the hall of the Ukraine House in Washington.

Andrii Okhotskyi was given the floor to present his works and speak briefly about the "Spiritual Shield" concept and how this idea was born. The damaged armor plates, which literally protected a soldier from being hit by an enemy projectile, made a particularly strong impression on the American visitors.

Andrii Okhotskyi prepared for this project for several months—coordinating the subjects of the icons with the exhibition organizers and selecting the used armor plates. Having gathered a small collection of such plates, the artist set to work and spent more than three months painting them. The iconographer had already adapted to the new medium, having previously painted on canvas and written icons on wooden boards. However, painting on armor plates presents certain difficulties due to the non-standard base material. Andrii Okhotskyi is an adherent of the classical school of painting, but he also wishes to contribute to the development of art, particularly the Ukrainian school of iconography. Therefore, the iconographer always primes the surface and uses only high-quality materials to ensure the image remains on the armor plate for as long as possible.

"I try to work as quickly as possible, because by the time I paint the armor plates, by the time they are delivered to an auction or exhibition, by the time the presentation and bidding take place... A lot of time passes, yet help for our fighters, the wounded, and the suffering is needed right here and now," Andrii Okhotskyi briefly commented on his work and the purpose of his art. The artist was delighted by the warm reception in the USA and, upon returning home, immediately resumed volunteer work to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and transfer donations to support humanitarian funds.

Sources:

- Grand Opening of The Spiritual Shield Exhibition by Andrii Okhotskyi

- The "Spiritual Shield" exhibition opened in Washington – icons on armor plates that saved the lives of Ukrainian soldiers

Read also:

- Andrii Okhotskyi - Biography of the Artist

- Solemn awarding of Okhotskyi Andrii with the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle

- Icons on Armor Plates: How Art Heals the Wounds of War and Inspires Struggle