Yurko Gutsulyak’s Exhibition. Faultlines of Belonging

Faultlines of Belonging brings together poster works created during the ongoing full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Addressed primarily to audiences outside Ukraine, these works confront the viewer with urgent visual messages intended to inform, challenge, and compel action. They trace the geopolitical, cultural, and personal fractures that define the country’s present moment. The artist assumes the role of communicator across borders, translating the lived experience of war into a language accessible to those far from its frontlines.

From stark black-and-white typographic compositions to blue-and-yellow affirmations and experimental explorations of national identity, the works navigate themes of belonging, displacement, and resilience. They question Ukraine’s future between East and West, humanize statistics, and counter the relentless machinery of Russian misinformation. They expose destruction as both a physical and metaphorical act, while asserting the cultural strength that endures despite it.

Some pieces respond directly to events as they unfold, capturing the raw pulse of a nation under attack. Others take a more reflective stance, distilling symbols and messages into meditations on heritage, historical truth, and collective memory. Together, they occupy the unstable ground of global interconnection, asserting that there is no safe distance from violence, responsibility, or the shared task of defending truth.

As part of the exhibition, The Blue-Yellow Series delves into Ukrainian identity through an abstract yet profoundly personal reinterpretation of the national flag. Since the beginning of the war, Ukrainians worldwide have developed a heightened awareness of blue and yellow in their surroundings—colors that have come to embody resilience, solidarity, and hope. The project expands on this phenomenon by exploring how these colors exist beyond their visual form. One of its key messages, “When no colors are left, the Ukrainian flag is still waving,” reflects the endurance of national identity even in the face of destruction.

Yurko Gutsulyak (b. 1979, Ukraine) is an artist and visionary who explores symbolism, materiality, and conceptual storytelling. With a branding and graphic design background, he merges design methodologies with artistic inquiry, using printed editions and interactive objects to challenge conventional interpretations of sign metaphors and visual codes.

Before shifting his focus to contemporary art, Yurko Gutsulyak built a distinguished career in visual communication. In 2005, he founded Gutsulyak.Studio, an award-winning practice specializing in identity and packaging. His projects have received over 150 international accolades, including Red Dot, European Design Awards, Epica Awards, Pentawards, Dieline Awards, Communication Arts, Graphis, and have been exhibited in Canada, Switzerland, France, Germany, China, Poland, Mexico, the United States, and Ukraine.

He has lectured worldwide and served as a jury member for creative competitions across North America, Europe, and Asia. His insights have been featured in leading design publications, including Novum (Germany), idPure (Switzerland), +design (Greece), idN (Hong Kong), telegraf (Ukraine), Font (Czech Republic), and Brand (China). Since relocating to Toronto in 2017, he has continued developing his artistic practice while maintaining his studio.

Exhibition opens September 13, 2025

Artist talk will take place on September 27, 2025.

Admission to this event is free. Registration is required. Suggested donation is $20