Our museum of contemporary Ukrainian art has been working with collective practices of war memory since 2014. We organize exhibitions not only of leading Ukrainian artists, but also of lesser-known or amateur artists, if the meanings of their works are important for our society.
For some people, the extreme diversity of works by Belgian artist Patrick Сastermans will be a sign of amateurism and active search for his own style in art. They will be partly right – this is the artist’s first exhibition in his life. However, do only artistic reflections, professionally embodied by the master’s hand, deserve to be exhibited in a contemporary museum? The fullness of the works with important meanings, observations, and emotions compensate for their stylistic heterogeneity. After all, looking at us through the eyes of a foreigner is an unexpected resource for self-discovery.
Сastermans is in pain because he, along with our women and children, is treading their difficult path as refugees. So he wants to tell the truth about it to the world and to Ukrainians, refuting stereotypes about their new “paradise” life.
In addition, this exhibition gives us an opportunity to be positively impressed by the level of our cultural diplomacy: who would have imagined that the Khmelnytskyi Regional Art Museum would become a space for the debut exhibition of a Belgian artist?

Patrick Kastermans (Belgium): “The outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war in February 2022 has greatly affected Western Europe. I saw Ukrainians seeking safety and protection come to our country and immediately start learning the language. I saw the despair in people’s eyes. But I also saw the hope of these people to quickly integrate into our society to be able to work and financially support others who stayed in Ukraine.
The source of my inspiration as a painter and graphic artist was the problem of the psychological consequences of war. I realized that war is more than just physical violence and the bombing of peaceful cities with missiles and drones. I saw the pain and grief on people’s faces… I was sucked into the sadness of this incomprehensible war…
In Ukraine, there is probably an impression that refugees abroad live happily. I must refute this opinion because it is not true. These people live in deep guilt towards friends and family who stayed in Ukraine. They face the consequences of the war every minute of their lives, because it is the reason why they found themselves in a foreign environment. So I wanted to convey the real images of these people in my works using different techniques and materials.
The psychological suffering of innocent adults and children is also a consequence of war. Realizing this, I do my best every day to support and help the Ukrainian people.”

AUTOBIOGRAPHY
I was born in 1965 in Tongeren, the oldest city in Belgium. It is located in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium called Flanders. I studied industrial sciences and attended the Higher Academy of Fine Arts. Currently, I work as a volunteer language teacher for refugees. I also have a job at the Norbertine Abbey in the Reflection Center. In my free time I write books, create paintings and draw graphics. This is my first exhibition in my life. And I hope to hold many more in the future.