The Cellist

After weeks of relentless bombardment by Russian forces, cellist Denys Karachevtsev took to the streets of Kharkiv, filling the shell-shocked war zone with the mournful melody of J.S. Bach’s cello Suite No. 5 in C minor.

Three centuries after they were composed, the suites are still considered the ultimate expression of the cello’s soul. Originally a coarse dance instrument, the cello has become an international symbol of courage and defiance.

As reported in The Guardian newspaper, Vedran Smailovic, the “cellist of Sarajevo”, risked sniper fire to play in the burnt-out ruins of his besieged city, while Iraqi cellist Karim Wasfi performed at unprotected bomb sites in Baghdad.

Volydymyr has captured this indefatigable spirit on canvas.