A memorial evening dedicated to Ukrainian artist, political activist and anarchist Davyd Chychkan will take place in Berlin on July 19, featuring discussions on his life, his military service, Ukrainian anarchism and the future of the movement, according to a post on the Amal Berlin Ukraine Facebook page
The event will focus on Chychkan not only as an artist but also as a defender of Ukraine and an advocate of anarcho-syndicalist ideas. In one of his interviews, Chychkan said:
“I think I won’t be remembered — that is not my goal. Let me be remembered as one of those who chose anarcho-syndicalism. This identity is much more important to me than whether I am an artist or a draftsman.”
The programme will include discussions about war and peace, a screening of the film “Anti-Authoritarians at War” dedicated to Chychkan’s memory, and a conversation about the future of the anarchist movement in Ukraine with representatives of the NGO Solidarity Collectives and filmmaker Niko Dix.
The evening will also feature food and drinks prepared by Kitchen on the Run. The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. at ExBrache, Reinickendorfer Str. 41 (entrance through the Lidl parking area).
Davyd Chychkan, a prominent Ukrainian graphic artist and anarchist, joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces in September 2024. He died from wounds sustained during combat in the Zaporizhzhia direction in August 2025 at the age of 39.
“Davyd believed that true anarchists should share the hardest challenges experienced by their people. His death is an enormous loss for us,” his comrades wrote.
Chychkan came from a renowned artistic family. His parents, artists Illia Chychkan and Tetiana Illiakhova, as well as his grandfather and great-grandfather, were also prominent figures in Ukrainian art. Although he did not receive formal academic training, Davyd became known for his graphic works, posters, paintings and murals.
His exhibitions were repeatedly targeted by attacks and vandalism, including in Kyiv and Lviv. In 2024, amid public criticism, the Odesa National Fine Arts Museum canceled his exhibition “With Ribbons and Flags,” dedicated to Ukrainian soldiers who identify with anarchist ideas.
Photo: from open sources, including the Instagram page of Davyd Chychkan.
