KYIV: In a Kyiv workshop, a jewelry maker was putting the finishing touches to her latest piece — blow-torching a necklace pendant into the shape of a drone propeller.
With works that resemble bullets, tanks and peace doves, resisting Russia’s invasion is inspiring a new wave of designs reflecting a country, society and artistic scene transformed by the four-year conflict.
The shift is being driven by demand from both the military and civilians.
“It’s part of a soldier’s identity,” said Illia, a 26-year-old craftsman with the Karpenko brand, holding the just-finished pendant resembling the blades of a reconnaissance drone.
The brand also makes pendants with stones from Snake Island — the Black Sea outpost that became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance after a radio exchange of Kyiv’s soldiers’ expletive-laden rebuff to a Russian warship’s demand to surrender went viral.
