This Ukrainian Duo Is Selling NFTs to Support Their Country's War Effort

With just one look at their artwork, it’s immediately apparent that Shcheglova and Noven are deeply creative and thoughtful. They describe their art as “personal,” which is why the person featured in their pieces is always Shcheglova. Even their artistic name is one-of-a-kind. The duo explained to Gizmodo that their name is made up of two words. “Synchro” was chosen because they both have the same tastes, ideas, and perceptions in life, while “dogs” stands for their endless love of nature.

“Our art is about the connection between human and nature, at the same time it is always on the edge of real and surreal, natural and artificial,” they said. “We like creating installations in wild nature meant to live for single day only before we shoot and disassemble them, simply because they do not belong there.”

Shcheglova and Noven said that the war in Ukraine has been “a hard experience” for them. The artists explained that they love their country and its kind and open people. Yet, Ukraine is not how they remember it. They are aghast at the countless pieces of devastating news coming out of the country and the thousands of lives that have been ruined. The scale is heartbreaking, they said.

“Cities that were happily living just some months ago are ruined to ashes by [the] ‘russian world’ which is a pure evil (and it’s not a typo, for us and many other Ukrainians the word ‘russia’ cannot be written with [a] capital letter anymore, it is a part of our protest against terror it is making),” Synchrodogs wrote. “Google Bucha, Mariupol… Ukraine is dealing with army of war criminals.”

The duo has spoken out against the war on social media since the invasion began on Feb. 24, urging their followers not to be silent and to support their home country. Shortly afterwards, they got to work and started using their art to resist Russia’s invasion and help Ukrainians on the ground. The artists began selling prints of their artwork through various initiatives, their website, and galleries worldwide to raise money for Ukraine.

They also used the power of NFTs and cryptocurrency, selling digital tokens of their work on the platforms SuperRare and Foundation. Through sales generated on their website and from NFTs, Synchrodogs funds a variety of volunteer groups and initiatives that work to help with refugees, evacuation, and building news homes.

In addition, the group told Gizmodo that they’ve used proceeds from their art to buy medicine and donate to medical operations for the injured.

When it comes to traditional art, Synchrodogs said it’s hard to calculate how much they’ve raised for Ukraine because they’ve been selling through many galleries and initiatives, which each have their own processes and raise funds from other artworks as well. One of the initiatives they donated work to was Pictures for Purpose, which in March raised €200,000 for the charity World Central Kitchen.

“We try to be as helpful as possible,” the artists said.

Synchrodogs said their followers on social media have shown them tremendous support during this tough time, expressing that they were “endlessly grateful.” The duo credit their social media followers with helping them fight off Russian bots who tried to leave cruel comments in response to their activism. The bots didn’t succeed though, Synchrodogs said, and were banned.

Tackling bots and disinformation is especially important considering the role of Russian propaganda in the war, the artists maintained.

Online attention to the war in Ukraine is waning, but Synchrodogs has a message for the world: When Ukraine asks for help, it affects everyone. The artists pointed out that their work is not only about stopping war and destruction and Europe, but also about avoiding a disastrous dip in food production. In mid-May, the United Nations said that the war in Ukraine had aggravated a global food crisis that could last for years if it continues unabated.

The war isn’t over yet, but even so, Synchrodogs wants those who have helped Ukraine to know that they are grateful. They thank those who help the country’s refugees, donate, protest, report on the war, and help out Ukrainians by hiring them. The artists also highlighted the humanitarian aid, equipment, and armory they’ve received by different initiatives and countries.

“You all help us save lives at these uneasy times and we are sending warm rays of gratitude to each one of you,” Shcheglova and Noven said.