On Friday (March 15), "Words that Became Meaningful," an exhibition of digital artist Nikita Titov's work opened at Tallinn's Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom.

Speaking at the opening, Ukrainian Ambassador to Estonia Maksym Kononenko said: "Today there is not a single person in Ukraine who has not seen [Titov's] posters."

Throughout the war, certain words have taken on profound significance for Ukrainians, encapsulating their resilience and the sacrifices made to defend their homeland. "Nikita's work restores the value of these words, helping us remember and feel that behind the rows of letters are the lives of millions of people – their heroism, their decisions and actions," the ambassador said.

"Typically, artists draw images to convey content without words. Nikita, however, drew words to enhance their content with images."

Born in Jõhvi, Ida-Viru County to an Estonian mother and Ukrainian father, Titov later moved to Ukraine with his family, where he studied art at Kharkiv Pedagogical University before working in advertising.

It was in 2013 however, as thousands gathered on Kyiv's Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) for the mass protests, which later became known as the Revolution of Dignity, that Titov's artistic career really took off.

Since then, "all of Ukraine has been watching his creativity with admiration and experiencing important events through his artistic perception – the Revolution of Dignity, the annexation of Crimea, the war in Donbas, and the full-scale Russian invasion," Ambassador Kononenko said.

Among Titov's best-known works are those as part of the "Call-sign Ukraine" project, which depicts war veterans going about their everyday lives.

Featuring the tagline "Never thought I'll wear this uniform, but this is my land!" the project aims to raise awareness of those ordinary Ukrainians who are fighting to defend their homeland, with little or no prior military experience.

Online Ukrainian media outlet "Ukrainska Pravda" subsequently named Titov among its top 100 wartime leaders in 2023, while he was also recognized by the Ukrainian state for supporting his country's armed forces.

Ambassador Kononenko described "Call-sign Ukraine" as "iconic."

Announcing the Tallinn launch of "Words that Became Meaningful" on social media, Titov said: "Each of these words, which used to be abstract even for me, now has so much invested in it – the accomplishments of the people, hope and even life. Each word now reverberates in my heart, and resounds with pain and pride!

"This is what I wanted to share with my countrymen, Estonians, who, like no one else in the world, understand the value of these words and support Ukraine, which has become not just a home for me, but a faith for which I am fighting!"

Ambassador Kononenko too, highlighted the strong connections between Estonia and Ukraine, which are embodied in Titov's work.

"One of the keywords that has the same significance for Ukraine, Estonia, and the entire civilized world is 'freedom,'" the Ukrainian Ambassador said. "Freedom that flows in our veins – the indomitable desire to be free, the innate need to rise against tyranny that threatens our future."

While Titov himself was unable to make the opening in an online capacity due to technical issues, he expressed hope that his artwork would do the talking for him.

"Friends, everyone who is in Tallinn," he wrote, "I will be really happy to know that you have been there! Hugs to you, [from] Titov, almost Banksy!"

Nikita Titov's exhibition "Words that Became Meaningful" opened at the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn on March 15.

The exhibition can be seen until March 31.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!