Cactus & Tryzub takes “Embroidered With Pain” exhibit on the road
Meaghan Mobbs, daughter of special envoy to Ukraine Kit Kellogg, urges Americans not to turn away blind eye to war crimes committed by russian soldiers during occupation of Ukraine.
We have partnered up with UNWLA Branch 78 and the Ukraine House in Washington DC to bring “Embroidered With Pain” exhibit to Washington DC. The Ukraine Action Summit advocacy event on Capitol Hill served as a platform for showcasing the exhibit to over 750 delegates from every corner of the United States. This powerful exhibition — brought to the United States in partnership with community supporters — transforms trauma into testimony, memory into art, and silence into solidarity.
“Embroidered With Pain” encodes stories of wartime sexual-violence survivors — women, men, children — into traditional Ukrainian embroidery (rushnyks), using symbolic ornaments to tell stories of suffering, survival, and resilience.
Among the voices amplifying this urgent message is that of humanitarian Meaghan Mobbs. The daughter of special envoy to Ukraine, Kit Kellogg, attended the exhibit opening at Ukraine House and added powerful personal weight and renewed visibility to the cause. In her message, she urges Americans not to turn away from these war crimes — uncomfortable, often hidden — but to acknowledge them, remember them, and stand for justice.
This exhibit does not shy away from the hard truths. Hundreds, perhaps many more — of sexual war crimes committed by russian soldiers during the occupation remain undocumented because of stigma, fear, and the complexity of war. Survivors include even infants, children, men, and women.
By breathing life into these stories through embroidery, “Embroidered With Pain” offers survivors another way to reclaim their voices. It is our hope that this exhibit will not only be seen, but felt — that it will travel to all 50 states, bearing witness to unimaginable suffering and extraordinary resilience.
If you or your organization are interested in hosting the exhibit in your hometown, we invite you to reach out to us at info@cactusandtryzub.com. Together, we can help keep these stories alive, demand justice, and affirm that survivors are not alone.
