Dmytro Hunchak: Honoring Ukraine’s Fallen Heroes Through Art and Dreams of a Free Country
Dmytro Hunchak is a 21-year-old artist from Lviv, Ukraine. He moved to the United States when he was 15 years old and is currently a graphic design student at Tri-C Western. He is in his last semester at Tri-C and plans to attend the Cleveland Institute of Arts to further his education and artistic abilities.
Dmytro’s interest in painting portraits began when he was required to do a portrait of someone close to him for an assignment. However, instead of painting a family member or friend, he chose to paint the portrait of Ukrainian President Zelensky. Dmytro says, “I don’t like to follow the rules,” and at that time, Ukraine was at the beginning of the war. Zelensky’s face showed the pain and struggle he was facing as a leader, which inspired Dmytro to begin collecting images of fallen Ukrainian soldiers and painting them.
He held his first exhibition, “100 Warriors of Ukraine,” during the concert of the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite the title, he aims to go beyond the hundred portraits and focus on painting as many portraits as possible to recognize the efforts of those who lost their lives in the war. Dmytro created his own website to showcase his work, and once he completes 15 more portraits, he plans to hold a second exhibition.
Aside from painting, Dmytro also enjoys photography and studied art for seven years in his home country. He is an enthusiastic and free-spirited young person who loves to travel and has been to almost every state in the United States. Most of the time, he is seen with his girlfriend, Anastasia, who is also Ukrainian and a Tri-C student. Anastasia came to America 10 months ago with her mother and sister to escape the war, while her father is still in Ukraine fighting. Dmytro painted portraits of three of Anastasia’s father’s friends who lost their lives while trying to protect their country.
Dmytro’s biggest dream is to see Ukraine free. He believes no one should ever experience war. He is passionate about using his art to make a positive impact and raise awareness about the issues affecting his country. He hopes that by using his art, he can make a difference in people’s lives and inspire positive change.
Despite his desire to create meaningful art, Dmytro is humble and says that recognition can seem scary. However, he is determined to have his work seen and to make people feel and think more. He sees his art as a way to communicate powerful messages and evoke strong emotions in others. By sharing his work, Dmytro hopes to encourage others to engage with the issues affecting Ukraine and to take action in their own way.
Dmytro’s passion for art and his dedication to his homeland are truly inspiring. His commitment to using his talents to make a positive impact on the world serves as a powerful example of how individuals can use their unique skills and talents to make a difference. Dmytro’s desire to see Ukraine free and his determination to contribute to this goal through his art make him an outstanding and admirable young artist with a promising future ahead.
