Portrait of a Cossack warrior: Russian-Canadian painter raises funds for Ukraine through art

A Russian painter based in Montreal is using art to make a statement on the war in Ukraine.

31-year-old Pavel Sokov has painted princes, politicians, and even Vladimir Putin for Time magazine — but profits from his latest creation will go towards helping Ukrainian refugees.

“I never thought it would be possible for Russia to attack a brother or sister country, it just didn’t compute [that] such a horror was possible,” Sokov told CTV News.

His family moved from Moscow to Montreal in 2000. Now, he may never return to his home country.

“I don’t see myself going to Russia until the dictatorship has changed. Not to mention I probably earned 15 years for doing a fundraiser which is actually illegal.”

He’s fundraising the best way he knows how: by filling the canvas.

For this project, Sokov painted a portrait of a Cossack warrior.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Pavel Sokov | Portrait Painter (@pavelsokov)

“It was a type of nomadic people present in Russia and Ukraine. What I chose to focus on was that they were a fiercely freedom-loving people,” he said.

It took him just one week to paint and even less time to sell. A collector in Hong Kong bought the piece for $10,000. But unlike Sokov’s other creations, he’s not keeping the money this time around.

The proceeds will go to Ukrainian refugees arriving in Canada.

It’s not only a display of support, but also an act of defiance against the man who helped jump-start Sokov’s career.

Time magazine commissioned Sokov to paint Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2014, the year he annexed Crimea.

“I got extremely lucky, and I’m happy about it, it’s just unfortunately it had to be of Vladimir Putin,” he said.

He has since been outspoken against the Russian leader on social media, even posting a photo of his portrait on Instagram with a list of ways Putin has “categorically failed his people” written in the caption.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Pavel Sokov | Portrait Painter (@pavelsokov)

Since 2014, Sokov has sold his paintings around the world — to the royal family in Bahrain, and even actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But he doesn’t want his works in the hands of the wealthy alone. He’s also selling prints of the Cossack warrior online to raise money for relief efforts.