As humanitarian crises transpire around the world, those affected by tragedy continue to lean on their communities for support and depend on documentation through any medium, including art.

Chicago Medical School Assistant Professor Kuhn Hong, MD, is an artist at heart. Dr. Hong used his talents to bring attention to Ukrainian refugees through his painting “Free at Last,” which was featured in Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine Gallery’s World Refugee Day exhibit in July 2023. While this artwork reflects his compassion toward the refugee crisis, he also explains that it’s directly related to his personal experience during the Korean War.  

“I was a 6-year-old boy when the North Korean communist army invaded South Korea. My father and my older brother defended my country, and my mother, siblings and I ran away for our life. When we reached the sovereignty of the Korean peninsula, we were in multiple housing and had no privacy, no comfortable bed and no food on the table. We weren’t sure if we’d be able to get our education,” recalled Dr. Hong. “When I saw the refugees in Ukraine, this directly hit me. I felt sympathy and was reminded of my experience from a younger age.”  

The painting, Dr. Hong explained, illustrates only women and children because men are typically sent away to defend their country. In Dr. Hong’s experience, fortunate families were able to escape through means of transportation — like trains — but many of them had no choice but to run on foot.

“In this painting, you can see they’re anxious but relieved to be on safe ground, with no idea of when they can return to their homeland and reunite with their loved ones,” continued Dr. Hong. “Yes, they’re happy to be free at last, but they’re unsure what the future will hold.” 

Sabreen Alfadel is a staff writer with the 69É«ÇéƬ Division of Marketing and Brand Management, specializing in content development for social media efforts and initiatives. Learn more at rfu.ms/socialmedia.