The Sheltering Sky

“How fragile we are under the sheltering sky. Behind the sheltering sky is a vast dark universe, and we're just so small.”

Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky (1949)

Artist’s description
Just before the Russian invasion into Ukraine in February 2022, I started a painting looking forward to the Summer. A girl within a field of Sunflowers, protecting herself against the sun, was the setting of an innocent moment where a young woman happily strolled through those colourful fields.

After the first Russian bombardments the 'protecting' veil changed the whole narrative. A quote from the 1949 novel 'The Sheltering Sky' by Paul Bowles underlines this perfectly well. "How fragile we are under the sheltering sky. Behind the sheltering sky is a vast dark universe, and we're just so small."

On the 9th September André Romijn was awarded for his painting 'The Sheltering Sky' which is featured on this page. The ceremony took place during the vernissage of 'Artista per la Pace' in Palermo. Present at the vernissage of the exhibition the UNICEF President of the Palermo Provincial Committee, dr. Matteo Ferrara, who thanking the artists present expressed words of appreciation for the sensitivity shown by the organizers.

The project conceived and curated by the editorial staff of Art Now involved hundreds of artists in order to help Unicef ​​in its commitment to the project that promotes the assistance of Ukrainian children, who are still unfortunately victims of the ongoing war today. Art Now and the Effetto Arte Foundation will donate part of the proceeds collected for the organization of the event and the editorial projects related to the Unicef ​​section of Palermo.