Thousands of families are separated as Ukrainian citizens pick up arms and join the movement to defend their country against the Russian invasion. Those who stay behind, unable to join their fellow Ukrainians in physical warfare, seek other ways in which they can support the war effort. Yarema Kertusky is a 16–year-old digital artist seeking to make a difference. His motto, “Fighting for the Future of Ukraine by Pixels,” demonstrates how the determined teenager uses his skill in electronic forms of art to garner attention to and raise funds for the Ukrainian defense. Through this alternative method of support, Yarema feels an intense sense of responsibility to Ukraine, particularly to the soldiers and citizens experiencing the constant shocks of warfare.
Initially, Yarema dreamed of training under the Ukrainian Air Force Academy to become a fighter pilot and actively defend his nation. Disappointingly, Yarema was unable to realize his wish due to health and personal reasons. Such a setback wouldn’t deter him however, as Yarema began to look for other ways in which a young teenager could make a difference in a conflict set on the global stage. He had previously developed an interest in computer science before discovering how to power his talent and interest in digital design — specifically pixel art — to grab and retain the attention of thousands of people worldwide. Originally, Yarema and his peers used artwork as an escape from the mentally exhausting news regarding the war. Once he realized his work could be capitalized to move people online, Yarema has raised $8,000 to date for tasks such as buying a drone with a thermal–sensitive camera or night vision kits for soldiers.
Night Vision Funds Poster
In creating his pieces, Yarema has developed his own logical process that he titled the “Design Thinking” pipeline: Emphasize, Define, Ideate, Test, and Repeat. He constantly researches and tests what engages the viewer to further refine his workflow. One of the most important details Yarema considers when designing posters is how first to garner the attention of viewers and then make a lasting impact on them. He stresses the importance of “fresh ideas” — keeping up with the pulse and community trends multiplied by elements of his own unique style which ultimately provides amazing results.
Here, we were tasked with raising money for a night vision kit for one of the soldiers. I generated an idea for community interaction: through the course of the campaign, we were changing the percentage of pictures filled with distinguishable shapes, emphasizing that night vision is essential to seeing something in the night.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces is a massive mechanism with lots of moving parts, resulting in problems or inconsistencies in terms of equipment available to soldiers. Yarema recounts that soldiers on the frontline are sometimes forced to buy equipment with their own money. In response to this, Yarema reasons that the most efficient and beneficial way to make use of the collected donations is to directly ask the soldiers what their specific needs are. He believes that although helping in this “direct” way may not make revolutionary changes for the whole army, it will still significantly ease the needs of specific units.
I believe in the power of small campaigns to direct the needs of specific soldiers or units. We are raising money primarily for drones, sometimes cars, and other equipment that can be useful. This is a constant, ongoing process.
The ambitious artist believes today’s youth like himself are vital in shaping the future of Ukraine. Yarema reasons that young people, even though they lack traditional experience and knowledge, are empowered by their energy and strong desire to make change. He hopes that people, especially those around his same age, will be inspired by his work and consequently motivated to aid Ukraine and its dedicated soldiers through the war and beyond. Together, our actions will be [revolutionary]!
I am a proud [citizen] of Ukraine and live among people doing impossible things.