The Ukrainian Institute

KOBRA & KORBAN ‘The exchange’

With the continuing war in Ukraine, maintaining global support is essential to increase the number of countries calling for an end to the conflict — on Ukraine’s terms.

Tasked with delivering a campaign in Brazil, where media support was declining, the brief was to bolster public backing by highlighting shared values and cultural connections between the two nations.

The result was ‘The Exchange’, an initiative blending Brazil’s iconic street‑art scene with Ukraine’s environmental concerns. Pairing globally renown Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra with Ukrainian artist Sasha Korban showcased the similarities between the two countries while bypassing traditional news outlets and drawing attention to Russia’s destructive actions.

The artists were asked to combine environmental beauty with the devastation caused by Russia’s full‑scale invasion, merging their styles into a single visual statement.

The final artwork — spanning two buildings in São Paulo’s Pinheiros district — generated 233 pieces of coverage across major Brazilian media, including an exclusive interview with Globo and the front page of O Estado de S. Paulo. It also sparked significant social conversation, amplifying the message well beyond traditional media.