Exhibition “My Body Is a Battlefield.” vandalised in Copenhagen

The exhibition opened on 18 November 2025 and was scheduled to run until 26 December 2025. It followed the early November gathering of ministers of culture from more than 40 countries in Copenhagen, organised by the Danish Ministry of Culture under the Danish Presidency of the EU, focusing on the role of culture and media in strengthening democratic resilience. As part of this high-level programme, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Tetyana Berezhna, together with the Spilne Art team, presented Mariia Kulykivska’s works to international delegations.

“We are deeply saddened to share that the sculptures from the exhibition “My Body Is a Battlefield” were vandalised in broad daylight in the heart of Copenhagen. This exhibition, created in collaboration with Spilne Art, was more than just an installation. It carried the memory of war, vulnerability, and the resilience of Ukrainian women. The destruction of the sculptures is not only damage to art, but an attack on the stories and dignity they were meant to protect. We strongly condemn this act of hatred. At the same time, we place our trust in the Danish law enforcement authorities and sincerely hope that the perpetrator will be identified and held accountable for their actions. We remain committed to protecting art, truth, and the values of freedom and human dignity that this exhibition stands for,” said Nataliia Popovych, Chairperson of Ukraine House in Denmark.

“This has happened before,” said Mariia Kulykivska, having learnt that just before Christmas in Copenhagen, her sculptures were deliberately destroyed: two pregnant figures and one memorial figure made of flowers. “This was not a random incident, but a targeted act of violence against the female body — my own body, cast in sculptural form. The vandalised sculptures were created in Kyiv at Garage33 Gallery-Shelter — an independent artist-run space where these works were collectively produced during the war. In 2014, my sculptures were shot by militants of the so-called “dnr” at the Izolyatsia Art Centre. After my performance 254 at the Hermitage Museum, I was detained and threatened with forced psychiatric confinement. What happened in Copenhagen follows the same logic: the destruction of art as a form of political pressure, an attack on a defenceless body in a state of hope, and violence without accountability. My works did not resist. The heads and bellies were broken intentionally. This is not vandalism. It is systematic violence repeating itself. These three sculptures were among the last remaining works from my previous life. Their destruction marks the beginning of mourning and a decisive turn toward a more radical artistic language.” 

Following the official statement by Ukraine House in Denmark, Nataliia Tkachenko, Founder of Spilne Art, commented:

“We regard this incident as an act of vandalism and violence against artistic expression. Any aggression directed toward works of art is unacceptable and undermines the principles of open cultural dialogue. The incident was detected and documented through a video surveillance system. We are currently cooperating with Ukraine House in Denmark and local law enforcement authorities to clarify all circumstances of the incident. Further decisions regarding the future presentation of the works will be communicated in due course. We express our full solidarity with the artist and reaffirm our position: art must be allowed to exist freely, without fear of violence or destruction.”

Ukraine House in Denmark and Spilne Art are cooperating closely with local authorities in connection with the investigation.