FORTITUDE In my reinterpretation of "Christina's World," I evoke Andrew Wyeth's original contemplation of isolation and connection to the land.
RESISTANCE Kazimir Malevitch's "Peasants" was dedicated to Holodomor, the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33, a result of Soviet strategy to erase Ukrainian identity. Malevitch's abstraction becomes a symbol of the Soviet desire to see Ukraine faceless, assimilated into a broader Russian identity.
RECOVERY Amedeo Modigliani's sculptural fertility goddess, embodied in “Portrait of Jeanne Hébuterne in Yellow”, finds new meaning against the backdrop of Ukraine, known as a European granary. The symbolic hues of blue and yellow echo Ukraine's identity, infusing the painting with hope for the nation's recovery.
IDENTITY Roy Lichtenstein's "M-maybe" serves as a commentary on cultural identity. Lichtenstein's playful appropriation of comic book imagery challenges perceptions of dismissible, mass-produced art. Inspired by Lichtenstein's approach, I seek to spark dialogue about the imperative of national self-identification amidst cultural assimilation pressures.
PURIFICATION Inspired by Henri Matisse's "Dance," I juxtapose the joyful essence of life with the oxymoron of my current reality. Utilizing the emptiness of cutouts and the dual nature of fire—both destructive and purifying—I infuse new meanings into this once-happy dance.
RESILIENCE My reinterpretation of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec's "Seated Clownesse" resonates with the allegorical cover of American Vogue featuring Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s First Lady, by Annie Leibovitz. Echoing painter’s respect for his model challenging societal norms - a woman choosing a man's job - Olena embodies resilience. Her fatigue reflects the burdens of her unexpected role.
BARE Drawing inspiration from Tom Wesselmann's pop art ideals in the consumer age, my reinterpretation of "Bathtub nr.3" delves into the Ukrainian experience, where traumas and emotions are laid bare and are widely circulated by world media in a cry for help. But at the same time the transformed bathtub symbolizes a collective yearning for cleansing and renewal.
SHATTERED My reinterpretation of Picasso's "Portrait of Ambroise Vollard" captures the essence of Ukraine's current reality as I mirror the deconstruction of Vollard's face in the disintegrated surroundings. The closed eyes symbolize a dark present, while varied planes evoke a shattered glass—akin to Ukraine's shuttered windows and lives on a larger scale.