Kyiv show helps relieve stress of war

VIRTUAL sunrises, a giant sculpture of a purring cat and a soundproof booth you can scream into — the installations at Kyiv’s Third Wind exhibition may seem like a bit of light-hearted fun.

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But for the show’s organisers, among them leading psychologists and mental health experts, the art has a serious purpose: to help Ukrainians de-stress and explore their emotions after three years of war.

Russia’s invasion has triggered a mental health crisis in Ukraine, with more than half of respondents to a recent survey feeling “anxiety and tension”.

If only for a brief moment, the installations offer visitors a much-needed mental break from the war and help them “release tension, cry or smile a little”, said curator Yulia Solovey. “Above all, it’s about giving people the strength to keep moving forward,” she said.

The exhibition has proven wildly popular, with nearly 100 000 people visiting within the space of a month.

Among them was 41-year-old resident Inna Purgan, who came seeking a “return to childhood” after a weekend of Russian strikes.