Art Exhibition: “The road to freedom is bordered with sunflowers.”
17–20 June 2025
4:00 PM – 9:00 PM daily
Melaleuca, 24 McLachlan St,
Darwin City NT 0800
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How You Can Help
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Buy a piece of meaningful, original art
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Spread the word — share our story
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Donate or sponsor a student, supply, or classroom
Together, we can turn pain into purpose.
Art into action.
And war into hope.
Art That Becomes a Legacy
During the Art Exhibition: “The Road to Freedom Is Bordered with Sunflowers”, we were proud to witness how art transformed into meaningful action.
The paintings presented at the exhibition were successfully sold, and the funds raised were entirely reinvested into a purpose beyond the gallery walls — the creation and printing of children’s books in two languages: Ukrainian and English.
About the Artist
Mariia Shevchenko, known as NNNII, is an artist and community advocate whose work connects art with social impact. Actively supporting refugees, she helped bring together Ukrainian organisations across Australia and contributed, as part of a team, to a successful project enabling Ukrainian refugees to obtain Permanent Residency.
Through her art, Mariia continues to preserve cultural identity. Her recent work includes bilingual children’s books in Ukrainian and English, created so that children growing up in migration can stay connected to their language, culture, and sense of home.
Melaleuca Australia Annual Magazine 2025
We are deeply honoured that our project was featured on the cover of Melaleuca Australia’s Annual Report — a publication that highlights the most impactful and meaningful initiatives supporting people and communities.
Being placed on the cover of the Melaleuca Australia Annual Magazine marks this project as one of the successful and socially significant initiatives of the year — a project that demonstrates how creativity, culture, and compassion can come together to support people in real and lasting ways.
This recognition reflects the heart of our work:
using art not only as a form of expression, but as a tool for connection, healing, and cultural continuity, especially for communities experiencing displacement and migration.
From an art exhibition to children’s books, and now to national recognition, this journey shows that when art serves people, it becomes a force for change.
We are grateful to Melaleuca Australia for acknowledging this project and for sharing its story with a wider audience — helping amplify the message that culture, identity, and belonging matter.
