This project redefined charitable engagement. Unlike traditional donation drives, our approach created an immediate, tactile connection between contributor and cause. As fingers worked to remove the inked-on oil, participants didn't just hear about the crisis - they felt complicit in the solution. The simple act of scratching became a powerful ritual of hope, proving that environmental restoration begins with individual responsibility.
The project won several major international awards, including: Cannes Lions, Red Apple, KIAF, Golden Hammer and ADCR.
Partnering with Greenpeace, we channeled this energy into direct action. Each cleaned postcard included information for contributing to wildlife rehabilitation efforts, turning artistic participation into tangible support. The campaign spread virally, appearing in public spaces and galleries alike, its message clear: environmental salvation requires both collective will and personal commitment.
Today, "Purification" stands as a landmark in activist art - a demonstration of how creativity can bridge the gap between awareness and action. The project's legacy continues to inspire new generations of ecological artists and activists who believe in art's power to drive real-world change.
Today, "Purification" stands as a landmark in activist art - a demonstration of how creativity can bridge the gap between awareness and action. The project's legacy continues to inspire new generations of ecological artists and activists who believe in art's power to drive real-world change.
Front side text: Any coin will help us clean the victims of oil spills.
Back side text: Use the coin to clean up the scratch layer. Even the smallest contribution will help us save the Kerchenskiy Strait birds. Find out how you make a donation at www.greenpeace.ru
Team: Vasil Akulov, Artem Altman, Kate Suvorova
Purification
In November 2007, a catastrophic oil spill in the Kerch Strait became an environmental tragedy - over 30,000 birds perished in the toxic sludge, including rare and endangered species. This disaster called for extraordinary measures, and art became our weapon of change.
We created art project "Purification" — an innovative participatory art campaign that transformed passive observers into active saviors. Each postcard-sized artwork depicted an oil-covered bird, printed with a special scratch-off surface that mimicked crude oil's viscous texture. Armed with simple coins, people could physically scrape away the petroleum stain, revealing the clean plumage beneath - a visceral metaphor for how small individual actions collectively heal environmental wounds.
We created art project "Purification" — an innovative participatory art campaign that transformed passive observers into active saviors. Each postcard-sized artwork depicted an oil-covered bird, printed with a special scratch-off surface that mimicked crude oil's viscous texture. Armed with simple coins, people could physically scrape away the petroleum stain, revealing the clean plumage beneath - a visceral metaphor for how small individual actions collectively heal environmental wounds.
International awards:
