Today, on December 1, 2022, a charity exhibition of paintings by little Ukrainians who are now going through the most difficult time in their lives – times of war – has started. The event also includes the works of the little “Ukrainian Picasso” Maksym Brovchenko, an 11-year-old autistic schoolboy whose talent is taken care of by the NGO “Foundation for Children with Autism Syndrome “Child with Future”. The exhibition will be held within “Children. War. Future” charity project aims to draw attention to the problem of adaptation of children with ASD and raise funds for the creation of the LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB center for special children in Lviv.
The event takes place from December 1 to 23, 2022 at the Lviv National Opera, where everyone who wants to help little Ukrainians with special needs will be able to see the desperate emotions of children and the amazing inner world from under the brushes and pencils of young talents.
Among 300 drawings about the war, the exhibition presents two paintings by Maksym Brovchenko – “Kharkiv”, which the boy painted under the influence of depressing feelings due to the destruction of the city, and “Native Ukraine will win” with an irresistible sense of the future triumph of the Motherland over the enemy. The works can be seen according to the Opera’s schedule:
Every Friday and Saturday the theater is open for tours from 11:00 – 16:30. Before performances at 17:15 – 18:00 and in the break between performances. On Sunday, there are two performances in the theater: at 12:00 and 18:00, with excursions between them.
Also on Thursdays, there will be concerts in the mirror hall. Before they start, the theater is open, so everyone can join the exhibition at a convenient time.
As of August 1, 750 IDP children with autism spectrum disorders are registered in the Lviv region. LEVCHYK SPECTRUM HUB plans to cover 100 children per month with free services in ABA therapy, alternative communication, art therapy, classes with a speech therapist, neuropsychologist, etc.
Communications Director of the NGO “Foundation for Children with Autism Syndrome “Child with Future” Yevhenia Panichevska, who is involved at the level of expertise in the creation of the hub, was impressed by what she saw at the exhibition:
“Recently, our Maksym was interested in space and drew unexplored planets and friendly life forms. Now the boy reflects the reality – hard, bloody, desperate. We wish that it would not take away his childhood, dreams, and plans for life related to learning, new knowledge, and discoveries. All the presented works are no longer childish… Of course, little Ukrainians begin to realize the most important values – their country, peace, family, the presence of their father, and protection. Unfortunately, at the cost of war. We always say that we do everything for children’s sake, so why do such terrible things happen around us that even adults cannot stand? I hope that the event will help people to come to their senses.”
We remind that at the request of Maksym Brovchenko, part of the proceeds from the sale of paintings goes to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine, for which the child received the award of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky within the framework of the campaign “Children Rescuers – Heroes of War”.
The paintings of Maksym Brovchenko and other works of the young artist presented at the exhibition can be purchased on the boy’s website www.brovchenko-art.com or by contacting the representative of the NGO “Foundation for Children with Autism Syndrome “Child with Future” Tatiana Bilokonska t.belokonskaya@ukr.net