The project Wo is Heimat? (full title in English “Where is Home? Stories of Ukrainian Children and Teenagers”) explores the personal experiences of young refugees who fled Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2022 – their memories of the first days of the war and their forced escape in search of a new shelter, a new home. The stories of these children are brought to life through powerful illustrations by Ukrainian artist Maria Vyshedska, herself a refugee.

The project was realized both as an exhibition (in Germany and Poland) and as a book. It was produced in three languages: Ukrainian, English, and German.

The choice of typeface for this project was clear from the very beginning. Originally designed as part of the brand identity for the city of Mariupol shortly before the full-scale Russian invasion, the Mariupol typeface has since become a symbol of Ukrainian cultural resistance – a political artifact. It is an example of how design can transcend the boundaries of form and become content.

Idea and project management by Christine Frick. Ulyana Shevchenko served as project coordinator and translator.

Telegraf.Design is a Ukrainian media company dedicated to design and creative and tech industries. In 2021, it presented a unique artifact to the world: the first printed magazine about Ukrainian design.

Issue 1 of Telegraf magazine discusses Ukrainian identity, achievements, and fears. It showcases Ukrainian design through the eyes of those who create it. The magazine consists of 200 incredibly beautiful pages and involved the participation of 25 talented contributors in its creation.

It also features the premiere of Dmytro Rastvortsev’s DR Kruk. Inerta has been used as the main typeface for the articles. Mariupol serves for the magazine logo.

The magazine was designed by Nonna Starushchenko (Нонна Старущенко), Glib Kaporikov, and Dima Muzychenko (Дима Музыченко) from LLIWELL.

Detail from the magazine website

Detail from the magazine website

The Artiya Школа каліграфії (Artiya Calligraphy School) started in 2011. The project engages in developing the culture of calligraphy and type design in Ukraine, branching out into several directions: a school, a studio, a calligraphy shop and a gallery.

Every year, Artiya holds an exhibition of Ukrainian typefaces and calligraphy together with Book Arsenal in Kyiv. This event gathers calligraphers and designers who share their experience and present fresh works.

Mariupol is used throughout their website.

Mariupol in use for an exhibition on the City Day of Mariupol (September 27) at the Ukrainian House in Kyiv.

The exhibition name is a wordplay on the Ukrainian Де ти? (“Where are you?”) and the Russian Дети (“children”), written on vehicles, houses, fences and even the theater to point out the presence of kids, in hope that the Russian army will not shoot (but they did regardless).

The exhibition presented photos from the siege and further occupation by Yevhen Sosnovsky and drawings by children form Mariupol.

Espreso TV (Ukrainian: Еспресо TV) is an Internet television station in Ukraine that started to operate in November 2013. Espreso TV enabled the Euromaidan protests to be broadcast worldwide.

Re: Mariupol is a project by Sergii Rodionov representing the speculative vision of his hometown reconstruction after the war. The visual manifesto is published as a book, a website, and an exhibition poster.

The project is based on research including history and geography of the city, a Rotterdam reconstruction case study and workshops within the Dirty Old Town programme at the Independent School for the City.

The typography is set in Mariupol, released in 2017 as a custom typeface for the City of Mariupol, with headlines using the related Mariupol Strong.

See a short introduction by Sergii Rodinov on the Dirty Old Town website.