British artist creates 50-meter painting about Ukrainians and support for Ukraine

British artist Russell Haines of Gloucester has crafted a 50-meter long painting called Lines of Resistance, which invites visitors to add their own messages for Ukrainians over the next month, reported the BBC on August 22. The artwork is dedicated to Ukrainian families who have found a new life in Gloucester, as well as those who have provided aid and support to Ukraine.

Haines expressed his gratitude to the people of Gloucester for their collective efforts in sending humanitarian aid and their remarkable contributions. He also mentioned the stories of humanitarian workers, artists, soldiers, and ordinary people he encountered during his time in Ukraine.

Lines of Resistance is not yet complete, and Haines has invited visitors to contribute messages of friendship, hope, resistance, peace, and solidarity directly onto the canvas. When the painting is eventually transported to Ukraine, these messages will become an integral part of the artwork and accompany it to Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa.

Additionally, Ukrainians will have the opportunity to send messages to the Gloucester residents who have supported displaced Ukrainians and regularly collect aid for those affected by the war. Haines emphasized that the messages written in Gloucester will travel with the painting, carrying the voices of the city across borders and conveying a message of unity to those thousands of miles away who have not been forgotten.