THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD AFFORD THE WAR? MAKE RUSSIA PAY.
Make Russia Pay was a digital exhibition held in Brussels (Belgium) in December 2023, that showcased Ukrainian call for confiscation of frozen Russian assets. The event was organized by The International Center of Ukrainian Victory and The National Interests Advocacy Network ANTS.
We were responsible for visual support and the exhibition content — starting with research, analytics and data collection, and ending with video production and the venue design. We created seven animated videos (7-10 min length) with data on Ukraine’s losses from the war, the allies’ humanitarian and military help, the numbers of russian assets stashed abroad and the legislative controversy around it.
The concept of the project was based on the obvious idea of making Russia accountable for all the crimes it committed — in both moral and material senses. The title MAKE RUSSIA PAY conveys both messages, but in its literal sense is about transferring the burden and costs of repairing Ukraine to the shoulders of those who are truly responsible for the damage. The tagline They Thought They Could Afford The War? was meant to transmits the World’s outrage about russia’s decision to start a war of this scale in the midst of Europe in the XXI century; but also to make an ironic comment on Russia’s arrogance — allegedly, it has endless sources to keep it up. “But if they are so rich, why does the entire world have to pay for what they’ve done instead of making them pay?”
For the exhibition’s key visuals we used the existing logo of ICUV — the Ukrainian trident reimagined by 3Z design studio, on which we impaled the heads of Putin and his oligarchs Fridman and Abramovich to visualize the idea of reckoning. The alternative, 3D version of the logo and several patterns from the brandbook were also used in print and video frames to keep a consistent visual identity.
Posters
Th exhibition’s task was not making the World cry over Ukraine’s ruins and thousands of lives unlived, but to speak the dry language of data, precedents, logic and rational arguments — hence the slogan ‘A Quick Glimpse Into Russia’s War in Numbers.’ But in order to avoid the content being too depressive or boring, some satirical and entertaining elements were added to it, like funny animation and ironic comments of the narrators / protagonists — these are two Ukrainian characters, the Horse and the Rooster taken from Ukrainian traditional embroidery patterns.
Video frames
T-shirt based on videos
Ukrainian and European officials engaged into the Make Them Pay initiative.
Video frames, patterns and characters were also used for the venue decoration.
Leaders of ANTS and ICUV, members of the Euro Parliament opening the exhibition. SHAME Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
Watch all 7 Make Them Pay videos here.
Credits:
Concept, content, scriptwriting, creative production: Kto Nado / Creative Beast
Art Director: K.
Video Production: Nikita Donets
Technical Director: Eugeny Skrypnik / SHUM.Rave
Executive Producer: Vlada Nafta / ICUV
