Art is a way to communicate — it speaks to people’s emotions, no matter what language they speak, what culture they are from.
And while the backdrop for a local artist’s upcoming film was war-torn Ukraine, the message about the destruction of war could be applied to other areas facing conflicts.
Street artist Bandit, who grew up in San Clemente but does not reveal his name due to the secrecy of his work, is releasing a film, “Palyanytsia,” documenting his three trips in recent years to the war-torn region to paint images on bullet-ridden walls and in areas left destroyed by bombs and fighting.
“It can be a broad subject matter for current wars in escalation around the world right now, in my opinion,” he said. “There’s a lot of facts and education, the destruction, the aftermath of war and the artwork and beauty.”
While it’s been three years since the war in Ukraine started, the conflict is still ongoing, with the biggest bombing in Kyiv, the capital, recently happening.
“Obviously, people are going to walk into this film or watch it with their own political agenda,” he said. “But I think the editor did a great job with easing the viewer in and providing facts, which can not be argued. It’s got comic relief (and) human emotional moments that anyone can connect with, regardless of political agendas or views.”
The film’s title, “Palyanytsia,” is a type of bread, but is also used by Ukrainians as a pronunciation test for Russian speakers.
Bandit’s work can be found throughout his hometown of San Clemente, both in public spaces and inside businesses, but in recent years he has turned his attention to bigger cities and causes he has felt needed attention. His artwork often puts a spotlight on serious issues such as school shootings, the drug epidemic and human trafficking.
Bandit first traveled to Ukraine in 2022 on a 16-day trip to paint 11 murals throughout the region, joined by fellow artist Johnny Asbaugh and photographer Tristan George shortly after the war started.
As they moved through the country, Bandit and Asbaugh left behind messages of hope through art.
One scene featured a Ukrainian soldier using the hammer from the Soviet Union emblem to hang the Ukrainian flag, illustrating the country’s independence, he said. Another painting depicted a tug-of-war scene with a Russian soldier and a Ukrainian soldier on a large slab of concrete.
On an abandoned Russian tank, Bandit painted a large handprint in the country’s iconic yellow and blue colors.
He left behind a bright yellow sunflower on a crumbling building; the silhouette of a couple dancing on a wall in the city of Kharkiv, and a young child sitting atop a mountain of bullet holes dotting a building, clutching a kite in the country’s colors.
In the following trips, Bandit synced up with Ryan Smith, who directed the award-winning film about Ukraine, “Soldiers of Song.” Ukrainian Katya Tymchenko and a well-known musician from the country, Kadim Tarasov, produced the film, and Julia Bolshynskaja joined as editor.
“We got lucky to jump on board with them, what they created was absolutely beyond what we could have done,” Bandit said.
The group was able to reach the front lines with soldiers during their April 2024 visit, creating eight more pieces of art around Kyiv, Bandit said. “It was surreal, unique, eye-opening and anxiety-driven.”
The goal is to get viewers to open their minds to the realities — and horrors — of war, he said. “No matter what your belief system is, what your political views are, we feel art connects the dots and is a unifying medium that people can relate to or identify with.”
There will be an art show and a screening of the film on Aug. 9 at Ficus Art Gallery, 143 Los Obreros, in San Clemente. The art show starts at 6 p.m. and the screening at 8:30 p.m.