$1 Million NFT Minted to Support José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen in Ukraine
Ukrainian Artist Marta Pitchuk Donates ‘Motanka’ Collection Works to Support War Relief Efforts
ALBUQUERQUE, NM, June 2, 2022 — Famed Ukrainian artist Marta Pitchuk and American enterprise blockchain company Devvio, Inc., today announced a charity sale of NFTs of Pitchuk’s work to support humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. The unique artwork for sale on Devvio’s GlassBlock NFT marketplace belongs to Pitchuk’s “Motanka” collection which incorporates artistic interpretations of traditional Ukrainian Motanka dolls and other ethnic motifs.
The most prized NFT of the 7-piece collection entitled, “The Victory Motanka of Kyiv Polissia,” is priced at $1 million and is expected to become a valued piece of history as it depicts a contemporary scene Pitchuk painted during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Other NFTs in the collection start at $25 for collectors and donors who wish to support the Ukrainian people. The sale is made possible by Devvio’s blockchain which is the world’s fastest and most energy efficient. All of the works for sale can be viewed at www.NFTsforUkraine.io.
“Marta’s Motanka collection is a brilliant representation of the Ukrainian spirit and culture, and her art takes on a special meaning as a direct response to the invasion,” said Tom Anderson, CEO of Devvio. “We are proud to help deliver proceeds of these sales to World Central Kitchen to help provide food to those suffering the effects of the war in Ukraine.”
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the NFT sale will benefit chef José Andrés’ humanitarian organization, World Central Kitchen (WCK) —one of the first nonprofits to respond to the situation in Ukraine. Andrés and his WCK team are on the ground in Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia to feed refugees fleeing destroyed homes, villages, towns, and cities from across Ukraine.
“At Devvio we work hard to build technology for good,” said Jason Merkoski, CIO of Devvio. “Helping Ukrainians today is the perfect use of our Glassblock marketplace as a platform that can serve a greater cause. Marta’s Motanka collection is a wonderful example of modern ethnic art that transcends national borders and can be appreciated cross-culturally.”
Motanka NFT buyers will receive a rare digital artwork that can be displayed as a representation of their artistic taste and commitment to the Ukrainian people. Owners of the NFT images will also be able to display their art assets as their profile pictures on social media sites, or in other venues.
“We’re not only encouraging our users to buy these unique and rare NFTs to help feed people in Ukraine, but to share this opportunity online with their friends and followers in order to increase donations for Ukraine exponentially,” said Merkoski.
About the Motanka Tradition
The first-ever recorded appearance of Motanka dolls on the territory of modern-day Ukraine was approximately 5,000 years ago. In modern times, Motanka is a deeply sacred symbol of welfare, well-being, and hope for a better future. According to legend, a Motanka preserved family comfort, prosperity and protected from evil forces. It is believed that the doll is an intermediary between the living and those who do not yet exist in this world. Therefore, it has always been a coveted wedding gift for newlywed families. Because of its feminine nature (there have never been Motanka dolls made of men) it was also a symbol of fertility and rejuvenation. Young families kept their Motanka on prominent display in the dining room of their homes in hope that it would bring them children. If a child was gifted a Motanka doll, it was believed to keep illness away from them. When a child reached adulthood, their Motanka would be burned in a bonfire, hence burning the troubles of the past together with it.
About Marta Pitchuk
Marta is a Ukrainian artist known for her powerful works that incorporate Ukrainian ethnic motives in bright colors. She is one of the rising stars of the modern European art scene and her works frequently sell at auctions across Europe for five figure sums. Given the low value of the Ukrainian currency, these same works would be approximately $50,000 pieces had they been sold in US galleries or auctions.
About Devvio
Devvio is a leading provider of large-scale enterprise blockchain solutions for ESG, NFTs, payments, supply chain, IoT, workplace safety, identity, and asset/records management. Leveraging the world's first and only ISO-compliant green blockchain, Devvio's next-generation platform delivers over 8 million transactions per second while remaining flexible, cost-effective, regulatory compliant, private, secure, auditable, and globally scalable, with a RESTful API interface that makes integration simple. By delivering groundbreaking solutions for enterprise while furthering humanitarian goals, Devvio is on a mission to provide the world's trusted source of ESG truth and to enable the world's infrastructure for transferring value. For more information, please visit www.Devv.io and www.DevvESG.com.
Media Contact
Mark Hazlin, Xenophon Strategies, mhazlin@xenophonstrategies.com, (202) 289-4001.
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