With the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, the rich heritage of the country is being destroyed. The destruction is not only physically damaging the structures, but also resulting in the loss of the history and traditions of the country.

Drawing since childhood, architecture and nature are the things Nikita most prefers to draw. He began drawing with simple pencils, but later discovered that by drawing with ink, he could be freer with his ideas and techniques. Growing up in Kharkiv, a city known for its beautiful architecture, it came almost naturally to focus his artistic endeavours on buildings and monuments.

“Unfortunately, Kharkiv is one of the cities that has the most damaged buildings and broken lives”, he says. “I think 90 per cent of the buildings in Kharkiv that I drew were damaged”.

Over the years, Nikita developed a specific drawing technique named Glowing Archisketch in which he experiments with different methods of mixing digital and traditional art. The result is a whole world living inside his illustrations, for example, when he draws bright windows.

While drawing, Nikita represents his mood and what is going on in his mind. His illustrations are an overlap of his emotions, memories and feelings. For him, drawing is therapy, allowing him to express himself.

While exhibiting his works to the public, Nikita found that most people tend to have different opinions about what they see, which for him is the most enjoyable part of showing his work to the world.

“People remember something from their past or come up with an idea of what characters might be behind those shiny windows”, he says. People's reactions are different, but for the author of these illustrations, it is always exciting to see how his works bring positive and warm feelings to those who look at them.

Through his drawings and illustrations, Nikita advocates for the important cause of preserving cultural heritage and urges everyone to get involved. He is collaborating with the European external Action Service (EEAS) to advocate the need to protect Ukrainian heritage on World Heritage Day (18 April) and supports the governmental organisation UNITED24, initiated by President Zelenskyy to raise funds for Ukraine.

• To see more of Nikita’s artwork on social media, follow the link to Nikita’s PATREON page.
• To learn how you can become more involved in supporting Ukraine, follow the link to visit the official Ukrainian government fundraising IG.