In Kharkiv, street artist Gamlet was 'ordered' to paint on war-torn walls

Black bulletproof vest adorned with the Khartia Battalion crest, a tourniquet for making tourniquets and... two markers, one black and one white: this is the "work equipment" of Gamlet Zinkivsky, Ukrainian street artist renowned man who decided to stay in Kharkiv, his hometown, to "paint the walls" devastated by war.

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"Hospitality from hell"

, he affixed to one of his works, molotov cocktails and a jerry can of gasoline drawn on a wall in the city center, hard hit by the Russian offensive and many buildings of which have destroyed or damaged by artillery shelling.

35 years old, impeccable bald head, clear eyes, four silver rings on his left hand, Gamlet was in Kharkiv at the start of the Russian attack, spent a night in the shelter of the metro and then ten days in the house of her parents, safer, before taking refuge with part of her family in Ivano-Frankivsk in western Ukraine, little affected by the war.

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He stayed there for two months, organizing crowdfunding to support the army and humanitarian aid.

He says he notably sold a painting for two night vision devices.

It was then that he received a phone call from the commander of the Khartia battalion, a friend who said to him:

, assures Gamlet.

He says he accepted

and

.

The artist hopes that his drawings, once the war is over, can be sold for a good cause or exhibited at

, which works in real time on the duty of memory.

Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP

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“The city is my gallery”

Recognized abroad where he has exhibited and painted from Lima to London, Gamlet believes:

he says.

.

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He hopes that after the war, some of his works painted on wood covering the damaged windows or facades will be donated to the War Museum or sold for a good cause, he says recalling that only one of the 8 frescoes that he had signed in Mariupol survived the battle of the last weeks.

A patriot, Gamlet does not, however, see his brush

.

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This is the second time he has stayed in Kharkiv for political reasons, he said.

In 2013, he was ready to emigrate to Paris but the Maïdan (pro-Western revolution of 2014, which resulted in the departure of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych)

.

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In black and white for 12 years

Gamlet began painting on the walls of his city when he was 17 years old.

admits Gamlet.

He says he later challenged the police:

.

He swears that thereafter, he was no longer bothered and even refused offers from the authorities to become an official painter.

.

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Particularity of Gamlet, who studied art for 8 years at university and at the Beaux-Arts: he gave up color 12 years ago.

he says.

he asserts.

.