FAIRFIELD — Fairfield University is presenting the work of two artists who have transformed recovered war materiel into sacred icons.

Icons on Ammo Boxes: Christian Art of Hope and Sorrow from the War in Ukraine will be on view through May 22 at Fairfield University Downtown, located at 1720 Post Road. The exhibition is open to the public on Fridays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., with the exception of Good Friday on April 3rd.

The exhibition features work by artists Sonia Atlantova and Oleksandr Klymenko, who have been recovering fragments of ammunition boxes from the front lines of the Ukraine-Russia war since 2015. Drawing on the longstanding Orthodox tradition of icon writing, they have used these fragments as a canvas to create sacred works of art. Twenty-seven of these works are included in the exhibition, which is presented by Fairfield University’s Center for Social Impact, and Center for Arts & Minds.

Featured works include the series Mariupol Deisis, created in response to the near-total destruction of the city of Mariupol in 2022; the Marian series dedicated to Ukrainian children held in Russian captivity; an icon of St. Ignatius of Loyola, created exclusively for the Fairfield exhibition; and an icon of the Mother of God with Child, which was presented to Pope Leo XIV by Ukraine’s President and First Lady.

A public opening lecture and panel discussion for the exhibition will take place at 5 p.m. on March 31 at the Fairfield Theatre Company’s Stage One, followed by a public reception at the gallery.

For more information, visit fairfield.edu/artsminds.

Expanded coverage of Fairfield County cultural events is made possible with support from the Fairfield University Quick Center for the Arts.