HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Art transcends time and history.

Diana Rayzman, co-founder of Impact Museums said the special exhibit, “Immersive Shevchenko: Soul of Ukraine” was not supposed to debut until the fall, but the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine changed all that.

“We were working with the collaborators in Ukraine to map the show to this venue and as we were doing that bombs were going off, there were cyber-attacks happening the Wi-Fi was going out,” she said.

Taras Shevchenko is a 19th-century artist, poet and activist who fought for Ukraine freedom against imperial Russian control.

Rayzman said the money raised from the one-day only exhibition will support the people of Ukraine.

“It is really incredible to see these works from a historical time that has a lot of parallels to what is going on now and see it in this new context and light and be immersed in the storytelling of Ukrainian history,” said Rayzman.

It is that history Ukraine native and professional dancer Karina Smirnoff said can be learned from.

“To help fight the war against modern day slavery because if Russia wins, this is what Ukrainian people are fighting for slavery that would be in our day of age,” said Smirnoff. 

Many of Shevchenko paintings deal with the oppression of the Russian government.

“In the 1880s when Shevchenko was creating this works of art very similar feeling of uprising and nationalism brand new meeting right now,” said Rayzman.

Even 200 years later, Rayzman said it is Shevechno’s priceless pieces of art that will help support the people of Ukraine.