Masterpieces From Ukraine’s Odesa Museum Find Sanctuary in Berlin Exhibition

An exhibition titled “From Odesa to Berlin: European Painting of the 16th-19th Centuries” has opened at the Berlin Art Gallery (Gemäldegalerie) according to DW. The display features 60 works from the collection of the Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art, which were evacuated due to the war in Ukraine. The exhibition will be on view until June 22, 2025.

On January 23, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier attended the opening ceremony. During his remarks, he expressed support for Ukraine, highlighting the cultural dimension of the ongoing conflict. “Russia's bloody aggressive war is also a war against Ukrainian culture,” he said.

The director of the Odesa museum, Ihor Poronyk, acknowledged the emotional weight of the event. “Yes, I’m happy. Yes, I’m sad,” he stated, adding that while cultural exchanges between museums are common in peacetime, the circumstances surrounding this exhibition were deeply challenging.

The war in Ukraine has placed the country’s cultural heritage under threat. After a bombing damaged the Odesa Cathedral of the Transfiguration near the museum, the decision was made to evacuate key pieces. Initially relocated to western Ukraine, 74 paintings were later transported to Berlin in September 2023. Conservation efforts included restoration work and the creation of new frames for many of the pieces.

Ihor Poronyk emphasized the role of these artworks in showcasing Ukrainian culture to the world. “Our paintings had two paths: to lie somewhere in containers in warehouses, not to see the light of day, to be under fire, or to be in the largest museums in the world, doing more for the country, introducing people to our cultural heritage.”

The exhibition features 60 works from Odesa alongside 25 pieces from Berlin's collections, fostering a cultural dialogue. Visitors encounter Italian and Dutch masterpieces, including biblical and mythological scenes, still lifes, portraits, and landscapes. Highlights include Bernardo Strozzi’s “Ecce Homo,” Emile Claus’s “Sunny Day,” and Cornelius de Heem “Still Life with Lobster.”

Accompanying the artworks are explanatory texts that provide historical and cultural context. A map of Odesa showcases its notable landmarks, including the museum, which celebrated its centenary last year.

The exhibition also features a literary collaboration. Ukrainian poet Nadiya Telenchuk, now based in Berlin, is contributing a poem inspired by Charles Cotte’s painting "Sailboats." She described the project as a way to ensure the artworks resonate in new artistic forms.

An investigation by the Kyiv Independent, published on January 23, uncovers the systematic looting of over 33,000 cultural and historical artifacts from art and local history museums in Kherson during the Russian army’s retreat in November 2022.