The Ukrainian Women Artists with Their Weapon project as a transcultural artistic action in wartime

Abstract

The Ukrainian Women Artists with Their Weapons (UWATW) project, a brainchild of Karmella Tsepkolenko, is a unique artistic endeavor that brings together female composers and poets. A direct response to the war in Ukraine, this project fuses a national context with transculturality, as evidenced by its significant global impact. It comprises five vocal-instrumental works, all centered around a single thematic idea: reflection during the war. The main research questions of the article include the impact of the war on transcultural processes, defining the main aspects of the project that reflect transculturality, and the interaction of collective authorship with individuality in contemporary artistic trends. Transculturalism, as a manifestation of globalization and decolonization, plays a crucial role in forming new cultural identities, rethinking traditions, and supporting cultural exchanges. This concept emphasizes significant technologies for transcultural connections, remaining a practical tool for researchers and artists to deepen mutual understanding in a globalized world. The project UWATW showcases the interaction of cultures through the collaboration of artists from diverse backgrounds and cultural codes. The project participants represent regional and national centers, influencing the creative methodology of working with musical and poetic texts. The works in the project embody a strong life-affirming impulse, promote intercultural exchange, and draw attention to transnational issues related to the war. Thus, the UWATW project illuminates significant issues of identity and artistic expression during wartime. It demonstrates the capacity of contemporary art to express national ideas, serve as an instrument of cultural resistance, and provide a platform for intercultural exchange, uniting people and preserving cultural values in the challenging conditions of war.