Ruslana Kliuchko

The work explores the ecological consequences of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, focusing on the forests of the Sumy region, the place where I was born and raised. In the fall of 2024, fires broke out near the town of Khutir-Mykhailivskyi at the border with Russia and spread to the Desniansko-Starohutskyi National Park, an area within the active combat zone. Nearly three million hectares of Ukrainian forests have been affected by military operations; approximately 170,000 hectares have been burned and an additional 10,000 hectares in the occupied territories have been cleared for fortifications. Many forests are now inaccessible due to landmines or their proximity to combat operations. The destruction of forests has long-term consequences, such as the loss of biodiversity, the depletion of water resources, soil erosion, and deteriorating air quality. Forest fires release large amounts of carbon dioxide and, through the greenhouse effect, accelerate climate change, creating a dangerous feedback loop between forest fires and climate change.

Biography

Ruslana Kliuchko, b. 2002 in Khutir Mykhailivskyi (UA); lives and works in Kyiv (UA). In 2024, Kliuchko graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Kyiv in Graphic Arts and Book Illustration (MA). She explores themes related to memory, landscape, and emotional and sensory experiences. As a multidisciplinary artist, she works in various media and genres, including artist books, graphics, photography, objects, and installations.