Artwork Gallery – Magazine Issue 2. Connections

“ 

Art is a universal visual language that 

unites, inspires, and fills the world with 

its own meanings! 

We aim to connect artists from all 

over the world and also show talented 

Ukrainian artists here. 

ANNA PONOMARENKO 

Founder & Curator

Intro 

This issue is devoted to connections – international, 

personal, and family. It is about relationships, societal 

statuses, conflicts, and different perceptions. 

We tried to bring together artists and representatives of different cultures 

and perceptions of the world. And harmoniously show the combination 

of such talented people! 

You can see traditional and digital works, photographs, collages, textile 

art, animation, and 3D objects among the artists. This time the selection 

of artists combines quite complex themes and personal stories. 

We hope that the presented art will inspire you too! Feel free to scan the 

QR code to visit our hero pages! 

artworkgallery.net 

@artworkgallery_net | FB artworkgallery.net 

All right reserved | Copyright 2023 | Front cover artist Katerina Kushnerova

Content 

INTERVIEWS 

04 

26 

46 

Art-Territory founders 

Share Ukranian culture with the world and support modern artists. 

Ilgonis Rinkis 

An artist, who captures a moment that can’t be repeated 

Kateryna Goncharova 

Through art, the artist traveler displays the human essence 

REPRESENTED ARTISTS 

12 

Katya Rybakova 

40 

Alla Kudziieva 

14 

Milica Jankovic 

42 

Linda Partaj 

16 

Alexandra Hetman 

44 

Yuliia Khovbosha 

18 

Farëna Saburi 

52 

Kryštof Novotný 

20 

Tiziana Rasile 

54 

Fazar R.A Wibisono 

22 

Maryam Al-Homaid 

56 

Gaia Giongo 

24 

Katerina Kushnerova 

58 

Gala Mashanova 

32 

Oleg Kateryniuk 

60 

Veronika Petuchova 

34 

Olga Gulyaeva 

62 

Marie Le Moigne 

36 

Jikke Lesterhuis 

64 

Anastasia Dzhupina 

38 

Nazli Abbaspour 

Artwork Gallery Magazine | 

05

Interviews 

Co-founders 

Maria Manuylenko-Riabchun and Olga Severina 

Art Territory Ukraine 

Share Ukranian culture with the world and support modern artists. 

@art.territory.ua 

FB art.territory.ukraine 

www.art-territory.com 

06 | Artwork Gallery Magazine

Tell us how you met and when you decided to start the project together? Did you 

have experience working together before Art-Territory? 

Olga: Although we are both from Kharkiv – 

the second largest city in Ukraine, Masha and 

I did not know each other prior to our professional 

relationship. 

Our collaboration began through The 4th 

Block – an international poster exhibition, 

held every three years in our beloved Kharkiv. 

The exhibition’s aim is to bring together the 

latest trends in international poster design 

that have ecological objectives or connotations. 

The name of the exhibit – The 4th Block 

comes from reactor number 4, which was 

destroyed in the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. 

Before moving to LA, I served as The 4th Block’s 

exhibition curator and a selection committee 

member. Over the years I stayed in touch with 

Oleg Veklenko – The 4th Block’s founder and 

president, who was also one of my favorite 

professors and a lifelong mentor. 

I always wanted to continue my collaborations 

with The 4th Block, because working 

with its amazing team was one of the most 

memorable and fulfilling experiences of my 

career. This is why, when I founded my Poster- 

Territory initiative where I launch socially 

conscious exhibitions and events, and publish 

articles and books on contemporary graphic 

arts, I started doing some of these projects 

together with The 4th Block. 

That is how I met Masha who began working 

as an art manager of The 4th Block’s Graphic 

Designers Association a few years after I left 

for the US. We quickly connected and became 

great friends and colleagues. We worked 

together on a variety of shows and exhibits 

that promoted graphic arts and examined 

their impact on the fabric of contemporary 

society. 

All of this changed at the dawn of February 24, 

2022, when Russian forces started bombing 

peaceful Ukrainian cities and towns. 

A few weeks before the invasion there was 

an eerie feeling in Ukraine that the war was 

looming, so The 4th Block Association started 

a poster call “Stand With Ukraine” where 

artists could express their support for our 

country. The posters started to pour in almost 

immediately and by the time the full-blown 

offensive began we had a large collection of 

posters by authors from all over the world 

that we took to the streets. 

The team of The 4th Block – every one of us, 

even those who were still in Kharkiv, under 

constant bombardments – were uploading 

new pictures every day, sending them to print 

shops around the globe to be copied and used 

in the anti-war demonstrations that were 

happening everywhere. In 2022 we launched 

20+ exhibitions that featured “Stand With 

Ukraine” poster art. 

We’ve always believed in the power of cultural 

diplomacy. We’ve launched art exhibitions 

and design festivals, environmental projects, 

and social events to help make the world a 

better place. We’ve seen how much can be 

achieved using this soft power. Before the war, 

we thought the world had, indeed, reached 

The End of History, where warfare was dead 

and all could be resolved through diplomacy. 

How foolish of us. 

The war in Ukraine has shown us that, in fact, 

Diplomacy is dead and Death is very much 

alive! And yet, we still believe that our mission 

is not impossible! We must and will continue 

our struggle for a better tomorrow, but at the 

time of war, we needed to mold the power of 

beauty into a weapon. 


07

We knew how powerful this weapon could be. 

Beauty gives us hope, it inspires us, it reminds 

us of what we are fighting for. To wield it is 

to invest in our future because art is the path 

to a better tomorrow, while tanks are nothing 

but relics of the past! 

This is why in the summer of 2022 Masha was 

evacuating from Kharkiv paintings by contemporary 

Ukrainian artists, right when the city 

was being continuously shelled. She wanted 

to save the beauty, but at the same time, she 

wanted the beauty to help save the people. 

Masha launched an art auction in Denver, 

and it was a great success. All the proceeds 

from the auction went to support Ukrainian 

refugees and the Ukrainian army. 

This is what started Art-Territory, and now we 

launch art shows and auctions in Europe and 

the US with one goal in mind – to help end the 

suffering and to make the world better, and 

today a better world means only one thing - a 

world that is not at war. 

What goals have you set for yourself? What is the purpose of Art-Territory? 

Olga: Art Territory’s primary mission is to introduce 

Ukrainian art to the American audience. 

As Ukrainians, we want to give Ukrainian 

art a voice because we believe that beauty 

is louder than bombs. We want to help our 

viewers see our country not as a victim but 

as a strong and talented nation. We are not 

pawns or sacrificial lambs and neither are we 

desperate outcasts looking for handouts. We 

are fighting for our freedom and our survival 

against a massive military machine that 

came to Ukraine, and thanks to the Ukrainians, 

this monster did not advance further into 

Europe. 

One of our goals is to continue calling the 

world’s attention to the atrocities of this war 

and to celebrate the beauty of our country and 

our people who continuously show remarkable 

bravery, selflessness, and compassion 

during a time of unimaginable peril. This is 

why we are always looking for nonprofits 

with which we can collaborate so that we 

can launch new charity exhibitions and art 

auctions in support of Ukraine, where we 

showcase and sell contemporary art created 

by some of the most prominent Ukrainian 

artists. 


Historically, Ukrainian art was seen only as a 

subset of the Russian arts and this was the 

case for many years. It may sound horrible, 

but it was because of the war that hundreds 

of cultural initiatives took off around the 

world that promote the idea that Ukrainian 

culture is not the same as its Russian counterpart. 

People suddenly realized that Ukrainian 

identity survived, despite years of oppression 

and extermination, and was able to thrive 

against all odds. As an organization, Art Territory 

aims to further publicize Ukrainian art 

and culture and to help the beauty of art defy 

the ugliness of war! 

seeking shelter and safety often without 

any means of support. To help the artist 

Art Territory launched a number of charity 

exhibitions and auctions intended to raise 

money in support of Ukraine and its artists 

for whom these funds are often the only 

source of income. We will continue supporting 

Ukrainian artists while the war rages on, 

but our long-term goals are to popularize 

Ukrainian art and to help the audience see its 

beauty, versatility, and complexity. We plan on 

collaborating with museums and art galleries 

in the US and Europe, where we can share 

Ukrainian art with the world. 

Since the war started thousands of creatures 

were forced to leave their homes, abandon 

everything familiar, and evacuate abroad 


09

Thanks to art, your events raise pretty difficult topics. One of the projects is like 

this - tell us more about “Ukrainian anti-war posters”. What was the reaction of 

the audience to the event? Were there any difficulties in promoting the theme 

of the war? 

Olga: As I mentioned before, our Ukrainian 

anti-war posters are a part of the “Stand With 

Ukraine”, poster campaign launched by the 

Graphic Designers Association The 4th Block 

in February of 2022. This is an open poster call 

and we are still receiving posters 14 months 

into the campaign. 

As of today “Stand With Ukraine” posters 

collection has 1500+ artworks from 56 

countries that are from every corner of the 

globe. They demonstrate an amazing creative 

range but more importantly, they illustrate 

an unending wave of support for our country 

that is so critical during these trying times. 

This continuous backing of our cause by the 

entire international design community is 

truly invaluable. It is crucial to know that our 

nation is not alone in this struggle for human 

rights, freedom, and peace. 

We really wanted to share these great designs 

with the world so we took these posters to the 

streets bringing poster art back to its roots, as 

it was the streets where this genre was born 

and where it flourished as the original street 

art or as a form of creative resistance. 

We had a number of poster events in cities 

across the US that were always successful, 

despite the very difficult topics that were often 

the subjects of the poster designs. I think the 


audience responds to the incredible designs 

but also, and maybe even more so to the fact 

that many of these posters were created by 

Ukrainian designers, who made them “in the 

trenches” – while they were being bombed or 

when they were trying to escape the horrors 

and the miseries of war. This is why there are 

so few doves as symbols of peace on “Stand 

With Ukraine” posters and so many harsh 

images of real pain, despair, and the ugliness 

of slaughter. 

Luckily, we did not have any major issues 

showcasing our posters – people here all 

showed their support and all wanted to 

help. 

The “Path of Resistance” exhibition was more warmly received, as seen in the 

photos. What activities did you conduct as part of this event? 

Masha: I’m happy to say that the American 

audience was extremely warm and welcoming 

to the “Path of Resistance” exhibit. In this 

show we did not want to display artworks that 

depict Ukraine devastated by war – we really 

wanted to accentuate its natural beauty and 

the beauty of its people, to highlight their 

inner strength, their continuous support of 

one another, their never-ending willingness 

to resist, and their ability to see the wonders 

of the world even in the darkest of hours. 

“Path of Resistance” art show featured pieces 

by contemporary artists who work in different 

styles and use a variety of media. The exhibit 

showcased the creative vision and artistic skill 

of our artists and turned out to be a great 

success. 

this film, the artists share their stories about 

their lives before the war and then describe 

how each of their lives has changed now that 

the war is raging. 

Olga: Our “Path of Resistance’’ exhibit was, 

indeed, very well received by the audience, 

but it also had a lot of support from our 

partners and friends. This show is just one 

of many events that we launched as part of 

our Love. Freedom. Ukraine. initiative that we 

produce together with Stand With Ukraine 

Foundation, LA, and Sunflower Network. And, 

of course, this exhibit would not have been 

possible without our great friends at the 

Helms Bakery District. 

As part of the “Path of Resistance” exhibit 

we had a live performance where one of our 

artists – Irina Kalyuzhnaya painted live models 

dressed in traditional Ukrainian costumes and 

it was all done in real time. These authentic 

Ukrainian costumes are a part of her personal 

collection that Irina Kalyuzhnaya brought 

with her to America, specifically for this event. 

This was a great and unique way to introduce 

American viewers to Ukrainian culture. Also 

during the event, we had a movie screening 

that featured the artists whose works were 

presented at the exhibit. This short film was 

made in the first months of the war for our 

first charity exhibition in Denver, Colorado. In 


11


“Path of Resistance” was not the only event 

that featured a live performance by Iryna 

Kalyuzhna, but every time she did it – it was 

truly amazing. There is something magical 

about seeing art being born right in front 

of your eyes. During the exhibit, we also 

showcased Ukrainian poster art by AZA NIZI 

MAZA studio and a Fragile Brutalism project 

by Seria. Those pieces deal with very difficult 

issues, but it was important for us to exhibit 

them to make sure the people do not get 

used to the war as something mundane. 

It sometimes seems as if war is our new 

normal and we wanted to make sure everyone 

remembers that there is nothing normal 

about the war! 

In your opinion, interest in Ukrainian culture has subsided after more than a year 

of war? Did the inhabitants of America discover the previously unfamiliar world 

of modern Ukrainian art and culture? 

Masha: I do not believe that the interest in 

Ukrainian culture is tapering off. Actually, I 

see the opposite trend – our team at Art Territory 

is doing more events and our geography 

is expanding. We are launching our latest 

expo in Atlanta next week and we have more 

shows scheduled to open in other cities later 

in the year. 

I think that the Americans only just began to 

discover Ukrainian culture. Ukrainian art is 

incredibly rich and multifaceted and a single 

year is not enough to explore it fully. I truly feel 

like this is only the beginning of our journey 

and that Ukrainian contemporary art will be 

seen on many platforms and in many venues 

around the world. 

It will be happening more and more because 

the beauty of Ukrainian art deserves to 

be noticed, to be admired, and to be 

purchased. 

What advice would you give to the organizers and the artists who promote 

Ukrainian art worldwide? 

Masha: The most important advice I can give 

is: Do not stop! People in the US are getting 

tired of the war, which is understandable, but 

it is paramount to continue reminding them 

that the fighting never stops. Our families, our 

children are being killed every day. Ukrainian 

art is a great tool that can keep people’s interest 

in Ukraine without overwhelming them 

with the daily horrors of this gruesome and 

unjust conflict. 

Another piece of advice when doing art shows 

is to display works of the highest quality. This 

is key to keeping the viewers interested in 

Ukrainian art, which has many amazingly 

talented contemporary artists whose works 

rival pieces by any modern artist! 

One other thing I might suggest is to try and 

focus on truly contemporary artworks. What 

I’ve noticed in 2022 is that some of the shows 

are organized by emigrants who left Ukraine 

years or even decades ago. These people often 

stay “cocooned” in the time capsule of what 

Ukrainian art used to be when they were still 

living in Ukraine. 

Although they are all doing a wonderful thing 

– helping our country, but the art itself is not 

always representative of a new Ukraine. It 

would be great if more people would show 

more art that is created “in the moment”, to 

feel the latest creative impulses that pump 

through the veins of Ukrane’s most contemporary 

life. 


13

Katya Rybakova 

I am a young ukrainian artist (19 y.o) from Mariupol. Art is the 

main thing that helped (and still helps) me to get through 

all the difficulties-it іs a symbiosis of my own feelings and 

thoughts, not just a pretty picture. With the beginning of 

the full-scale invasion, I began to focus on works about war, 

brutality, and evil which were made through the lens of my 

own experience. I love both drawing and painting as well 

as experimenting with new media and styles. 

@rbkvvaa 

Кyiv, Ukraine 

You can’t be with others until you learn how to deal with yourself. 

Being alone with your thoughts is a real challenge that no one talks about. Everyone bears 

the burden and struggles with their own pain every day. Challenges, fears, regrets, despair, 

hope-that is what my works are about. War, family, loneliness, pain, oblivion. 

One day you will definitely find the strength to cope with everything. For now, all that 

remains is to survive. 


Evil, drawing, A3 


15

Milica Jankovic 

Between studio research, site-specific installations, and 

experimental education practice, I have immersed in the 

context that brought me towards experimenting with 

different materials and art forms, preparing the ground for 

further development in new media art practice. 

@_milic__ 

FB milicaj2 

jankovicmilica.weebly.com 

Cetinje, Montenegro 

My work is mainly concentrated on installations, which at 

times are wrapped into a miniature form, and other times 

expanded into an over-dimensional form, characterized by 

the absence of the body. 

Installation composed of oversized elements woven in wire (head and hand) has the aim to 

question the phenomenon of the shadow through fluid body-space relations. 

The installation is set up to continuously interact with the viewer. The body becomes a 

canvas on which shadows get projected, and its shadow is an indispensable part of the 

work. These shadows you can’t see standing on the side, they manifest in the so-called, 

“empty” space of the gallery, where you have to immerse yourself, and through which you 

need to move to reveal new projections. What characterizes them is fluidity, due to the 

continuous movement of both, the audience and the light source. 

The most intriguing aspect of the artwork, in my opinion, is that the Other (the observer) 

is required to witness the installation in its entirety, through a sequence of unrepeatable 

moments. 


In the shadow of another, we look for our own shadow, in the mirror of another our own mirror 


17

Alexandra Hetman 

Mail art (aka postal art) is a kind of creative flow and wild 

imagination through tiny details, collages, stickers, recycled 

elements, 2 in 1, 3 in 1 envelopes, combining incompatible 

ideas, fake tarot predictions, words of support - and all this 

in 1 letter! 

@hetmanalexandra 

FB alexandra.hetman.33 

Odesa, Ukraine 

This type of art is a kind of reaction to traditional art, 

which was guided by established institutional norms and 

standards. Free form of expression, experimentation and 

exchange of ideas without restrictions - that’s what I do it 

for. 

After talking for half an hour with my mother, my soul was filled with special warmth from 

contact only with the very idea of showing my letters. 

Everything started to spin this fall, a friend sent my address to all corners of the world, and 

over time, these works of art began to come to me (in the most classic manifestation of mail 

art - through the post office). In other words, you can’t name them, you can look at them 

for hours. 

Despite the different worldview, different cultural context that forms our view of the world 

and understanding of the world, we find this connection, where the link in this situation is 

art. For me, this experience is a kind of therapy in our difficult times and has been warming 

my heart for many months now, I hope my letters also bring a little joy to my mail friends 

too. 


Far distant pieces of warmth 


19

Farëna Saburi 

My paintings reflect my anxieties around confinement. 

These concerns are influenced by my ongoing experiences 

of immigration, as well as the social constructs of gender 

that control and limit my mobility. My work makes use 

of visual references of Tajik cultural objects and socially 

layered places to critique and investigate the inequality of 

access to physical, economic, social, and political spaces. 

@farenasart 

Dushanbe, Tajikistan 

The work submitted makes use of collective and personal experiences of immigration and 

gender. The research for the work comes from investigation of space and how it is created, 

maintained and made exclusive for many groups of people. 

At the core of this kind of research is focus on social and political issues and beliefs. It is work 

that acknowledges the connections between mobility of people and freedom under the 

lens of feminist geography theories. 


Private public matter, 7.4x6.2ft 

Chaos served, 6x3.6ft 


21

Tiziana Rasile 

I came to abstract painting after years of research on the 

synthesis of form and I chose to adopt the classic technique 

of oil painting because I love the atmospheric sensations. 

Light is very important to me to create color variations and 

emphasize the concept of dynamism. The exploration of 

movement and brightness is fundamental in all my works, 

associated with studies of philosophy, spirituality and 

quantum physics. 

FB Tiziana-Rasile-ARTwww.tizianarasile.com 

Rome, Italy 

My works are based on the concept of vibration as dynamic motion in space. 

Light vibrates in the space-frame to create a rhythm, a dynamism that creates connections 

to embrace time and its variations. 

In these paintings as in a “collective dance”, the rhythm is generated by the refraction of 

light in the pictorial matter, which is freed in the multiplicity of movement. 

Everything moves and is intimately connected! The theme is analyzed from different points 

of view: Cosmos, time, soul and nature. In search of a reunion with our original essence and 

primordial vitality ... 


Vibration in light. Oil on canvas, 60x90cm 


23

Maryam Al-Homaid 

My art direction is inspired by my personal experiences as 

a millennial in Qatar and the economic and social changes 

that I have observed for the past few years. The changes 

are so drastic that what happens today may disappear 

tommorow. This includes changes in landscape, languages, 

lifestyles, architecture...etc My goal is to document these 

changes using textile as a medium. My textile work is a 

combination of visuak graphics as well as contemporary 

Arabic typography. 

@maryamhome 

Doha, Qatar 

As an interdisciplinary artist, my recent body of work is inspired by my experiences as a 

millennial living in Qatar. The economic and social changes that have taken place in the 

region have had a significant impact on my artistic approach. Instead of dwelling on the 

past, I celebrate the evolution of memories over time. I design my artwork digitally, drawing 

inspiration from traditional carpet-making techniques, which are reflected in the craft’s 

graphic elements. By studying the traditional graphics of layout and carpet format, I use it 

as a foundation for my designs. My goal is to create a unique aesthetic that documents the 

changes in the region and celebrates its transformation throughout the year,s while also 

starting a conversation with my audience on various topics. 


EI Doha, handwoven wool, 150x200cm, 2021 

Doha Hangout, handwoven wool, 180x216cm, 2021 


25

Katerina Kushnerova 

I work on abstract painting, experimenting with color 

and texture of paint. I’ve been drawing people for the last 

year. 

@kushnerova.artist 

FB ketrin.nikolaenko 

Odesa, Ukraine 

I want to convey to the viewer through art works the feelings 

that we all face - love, anger, shame, anger, calmness, 

disappointment. And to convey that this is normal, to feel 

means to live. 

My art work is a dialogue with the inner child, self-acceptance through understanding 

“Who am I? What do I want?” 

As a mother, I am very interested in how our parents and family principles influence us and 

our decisions in the future. 


Memories, 88×60cm painting 


27

Interviews 

Ilgonis Rinkis 

The painting captures a moment that cannot be repeated. 

There is something melancholic, lively, and ephemeral at this moment. 

I think that makes the painting attractive. 

Salaspils, Latvia 

@ilgonis_rinkis 

FB ilgonis.rinkis 


Art has been in your life since elementary school. And when did drawing become 

a job and your main activity? 

Teaching colors, compositions, and drawing 

enter my life in elementary school. There 

was an enthusiastic teacher and an artist. 

I worked in book publishing houses for 

many years — as a layout designer and 

artist. I had stopped painting. 

He created an exciting cabinet — with 

color, gammas, and contrasts. In early childhood, 

my mother was good at drawing. I 

wondered how she could winterize such a 

winding river, an apple, and a carrot with 

her hands and feet. 

I found my old wooden box of oil paints and 

a palette four years ago — I smelled linseed 

oil and turpentine. And the love for painting 

blossomed again in my soul. I slowly started 

painting again. One of the French Impressionists 

said: 

“ 

Painting is very jealous. Don’t let it down. 

After that, it is difficult to restore the 

relationship. 

When looking for your style and medium, were you inspired by famous artists? 

Or did you come to style on a whim? 

Of course, I was influenced by and still 

admire the works of several painters. An 

artist cannot arise from nothing by himself 

– he lives under the influence of previous 

generations. 

Latvian painters, whom I saw in museums 

and exhibitions, were of great importance. 

I still admire impressionists, renaissance, 

and neoclassical art. Lately, I have liked 

the works of the Italian painter – Giovanni 

Boldini. He was a French court painter. This 

brush fascinates – the speed and “dance” 

in the painting. Pronounced expression. 

The mood of the work is also influenced by 

other forms of art – for example, music. It is 

essential to me. 

Sometimes I am not satisfied with the 

result of the work, so I remove the layer of 

paint applied the previous day with a painting 

spatula and start again. The painting 

takes quite a long time – the work of several 

months. 

I have not specially created a style in the 

paintings. It arose during the work process. 

I am currently painting with oil paints. 

In the meadow. Oil on Canvas, 100 x 90 cm 


29

Near the apple. Oil on Canvas, 100 x 90 cm 

Please tell us more about the direction of your work. What inspires you, and what 

theme are you trying to discover through your art? 

Looking at my paintings, some people say 

that I live in a slightly antique world. Because 

there are paintings where events take place 

in ancient times. But it is not a particular 

delay in the past. I made it up in the painting. 

Sitting on a bench in the park, many people 

pass by – there is someone who lives and 

looks like a person from the future, someone 

who really lives here and now – in this reality, 

one thinks and rejoices in the past. Now is 

such a depressive time – economic crises, 

pandemics, ecological changes, the war in 

Ukraine – it is unbelievable that there can still 

be a war after the previous wars. People don’t 

learn from the past. All severe events change 

a person’s value system. You have to see 

what is the main thing in life. I have painted 

portraits of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I like 

how she said, “I am not against war, but I am 

for peace”. It is precisely this in positivism that 

has the power of God. And that’s exactly what 

I want to show. 


Artwork In the Gallery meadow Magazine (fragment) | 31

Children by the river. Oil on Canvas, 110 x 90 cm 

“ 

I find the current reality a little boring and 

heavy. I want to bring something new, or 

something good from the past, or from 

fantasy into it. 

There are specific people in the paintings – 

who carry their image in the painting. 


What is it like to be an artist in Latvia – are people interested in art there? Has the 

situation changed during Covid? 

In Latvia, people like painting. They are 

interested in it. Sometimes people argue 

sharply about what art and painting should 

be. Sometimes it can be incomprehensible. 

At the same time, it has its favorite painters, 

whose exhibitions are visited by many people. 

If they say – I don’t understand art, then you 

can ask yourself – do you understand life? 

However, one must be tolerant of diversity 

in art. You have to think – why and what the 

artist wanted to say. 

During the flu pandemic, the situation was 

complicated. In the fall of 2020, I exhibited 

at the exhibition, but it had to be closed 

after only 2 weeks. And it was reopened in 

the spring. And the following autumn, this 

exhibition hall held only a virtual exhibition, 

fearing that the exhibited paintings could 

not be viewed. The big museums were also 

closed at that time. As the pandemic abated, 

the museum was allowed to contain a small, 

determined number of people. 

You have been actively exhibiting and had several publications past years. Was 

it always like this, or did you work in the shadows? After all, quite a lot of artists 

prefer a closed lifestyle… 

Yes, I try to participate and exhibit my paintings. 

As I already mentioned, there were many 

years when I did not paint at all. 

Artists are different – some like an extroverted 

lifestyle, while others – withdraw and live in 

their own world of ideas in the workshop. I 

feel like I fall between these two types. I paint 

in solitude, I prefer it that way, even though 

there are several people at home, but I have 

to be alone for a few hours a day – in my 

studio. 

Exhibitions are places where you can hang 

out with other artists and see their works. 

Of course, it is interesting to look at the works 

of others on social media on various websites. 

New technologies open the possibility for 

virtual exhibitions. 

But a physically exhibited painting cannot be 

replaced by a virtual one. It must be seen in 

reality. 

What advice would you give to an 

aspiring artist? 

I cannot give such a general recipe or advice 

as in a cookbook. Everything is individual. It 

depends on talent, willingness to work, and 

living conditions where to realize your dream. 

These are not such simple questions. 

The material side is also important. 

Work is of great importance. Not always 

inspired to do it. Therefore, professional skills 

and experience are helpful. 


33

Oleg Kateryniuk 

My name is Oleg Kateryniuk, 53 years old. I am Ukrainian, 

I live near Kyiv. For a long time of my life I learned to draw. 

But life sometimes changes our plans and I had to work as 

a graphic designer. 

However, art is what inspires me, it is what made me go 

beyond comfort and return to painting, because I have my 

own purpose: to notice the invisible in a world full of life, to 

depict the beauty of life, through the prism of my experiences 

and thoughts, on the basis of one’s own ideas and 

observation. 

@olegkateryniuk 

FB oleg.kateryniuk 

Vyshgorod, Ukraine 

We create all our mistakes by doing seemingly good things, be it the advancement of civilization 

or the progressive aspirations of all humanity.. But we often fail to notice how we are 

killing our world.. And we do it so easily with a smile. And only with time we understand our 

crazy smile. 


Sester of water, 50x70 cm 

Five minutes to Mars, 110x185 cm 


35

Olga Gulyaeva 

I am usually inspired by the Woman as the personification 

of beauty, tenderness, love, motherhood and, in fact, 

life itself. The ancient Slavs considered a woman to be the 

centre of the Universe and associated her with the Sun and 

the Earth. When creating an image, I turn to folk customs, 

Christian symbolism, and elements of folklore. My creative 

research is based on the combination of ethnic values with 

the aesthetics of the present, the promotion of the spiritual 

culture of our people. 

@gouliayeva 

Krakow, Poland 

The painting “Ukrainian Madonna” depicts a woman-Mother, who gives her son to the 

world. She is Mother Nature herself, bringing into the world the essence of creation and 

the essence of protection, and therefore the eternal renewal and harmony of life. The 

background features smooth, spherical lines that remind us of the beauty and diversity of 

the earth’s horizons, give the image significance and emphasise its grandeur and significance 

in the Universe. 


Ukrainian Madonna, 115×75cm painting 


37

Jikke Lesterhuis 

My work reflects the world around me from my perspective. 

Parallel to the changing world, my interests also change. 

I am currently experimenting with video installations. My 

work is related to the world around us, my own reality and 

a lot of fantasies and strange figments of my imagination. 

It is a little peek into my world, in which I hope to inspire 

people, and open doors to nooks and crannies in ‘reality’ 

that they had not yet discovered (in themselves). 

@jikkelesterhuis 

www.jikkelesterhuis.nl 

Amsterdam, Netherlands 

Silent Frequencies (サイレント周波数 ) is a multimedia project in which animation, sound and 

words come together in a short film. It is an exploration of the interaction between man and 

nature. The short animation pays homage to moss, a beautiful natural phenomenon often 

thought of as a weed in Europe, but worshiped in Japan. This allows the mosses to roam 

freely, resulting in an enchanting green carpet that rolls through nature like an airstrip. 

The poem in the film is inspired by ancient Japanese poetry (waka) and takes the viewer on 

a journey in which man and nature meet. The soundscape consists largely of field recordings 

made in the Itoshima area. 

Jikke Lesterhuis was inspired by the animistic environment and how man and nature are 

inextrictably linked. 


Scan code to view animation 


39

Nazli Abbaspour 

I think I have lived many times. For this reason, the photos 

in the family albums are a nostalgic way for me to find 

myself. And there are those old, big houses here in Tehran. 

For many years they are already abandoned, uninhabited 

and devastated. Surrounded by the everyday bustle of the 

city, they stand here as silent eyewitnesses and eyewitnesses 

to a past everyday life that has long passed. These 

are places full of history and stories. These places of nostalgia 

have mesmerized me. 

@nazli.abbaspour 

nazli-abbaspour.com 

Tehran, Iran 

Looking at and contemplating on abandoned buildings and deserted old mansions, I 

become lost in my thoughts, imagining the lives of the people who lived in them the joys 

and sorrows these structures shared with the residents, and the splendid days and nights 

that they accommodated. 

These blurry thoughts, that how people of the past lived a life of grandiose in these old 

buildings, give them an additional sense of glory it feels that these lives still continue to 

exist in them, with all of their delights and regrets. Moreover, the buildings, like the people 

who live inside them, seem to be longing for their eventful pasts a time full of presence and 

life. The buildings look unto the past, missing the people who once occupied them. 


The Enigmatic Fringe of Existence, 50x70, Photomontage, 2017-2020 


41

Alla Kudziieva 

I write in the language of symbolism because it is how I 

manage to speak. I don’t choose symbols on purpose; they 

just appear, an image or a picture in my head, and take on 

a life of their own. When I write in symbols, it’s a way for me 

to learn about myself, what is hidden so deeply in me and 

so forbidden. 

@kuku.buro 

FB alla.kudzieva 

Ubeda, Spain 

It’s about the constant escape from the world and myself. 

About the attraction to that which destroys. The addiction 

to pain. 

Martha and the Blue Tiger is my series of short stories in the style of symbolism. A surreal 

tale about the adventures of a girl, Martha, who has a wing instead of a left arm, and a 

talking Tiger philosopher. It’s a metaphorical fiction of unhealthy human relationships. In 

these stories, Martha and the Blue Tiger reflect on rather non-trivial views of modern values, 

attitudes, and human vices. 

Stories writer - Alla Kudziieva 

Translation - Helen Chervitz 

Collages - Alla Kudziieva and Luba Stegnienko 


Scan code to read ”Martha and the Blue Tiger” 


43

Linda Partaj 

Linda Partajs paintings are about the ´remains of 

memories´. Through her work she explores a very sensitive 

state of mind- Questioning the valuable part of the 

past and weighing what it may offer the future, how does 

a stroke of fate change you and your perception of life. 

@lindapartaj 

FB lindapartajart 

www.lindapartaj.at 

Vienna, Austria 

Confronted with memories, the desire to keep, share and 

save them before they break into pieces. 

The artistic work deals with the force of narratives. Fragments of memories, anecdotes, 

memorised sceneries of the past are turned and captured in new personal images, a new 

way of perception, a perception of a new life. It all begins with reworking personal topics. 

The characters start to relate to each other and become projection screens for experiences 

and the feelings coming along. The eye wanders through the image, landing on faces, 

toggeling between abstract and figurative spheres, recognizing bodies and then losing 

and confusing itself again into the overlapping lines and shapes. Questioning the state of 

mind, the boundaries, the lines and borders between each other. ´Where i end and you 

begin.´ It is about the way of observing the circumstances and start to feel responsible as 

a viewer, as being part of it. 


Learning how to stand alone, 140x120cm, 2022 


45

Yuliia Khovbosha 

I strongly believe that art can heal. It can drive you through 

the most challenging times. This simple but important fact 

follows me through my entire journey as an artist. After 

discovering that power in my hands to create shapes and 

forms, I still feel blessed. 

@wowbloomroom 

FB wowbloomroom 

yuliiakhovbosha.com 

Halifax, Canada 

My sculptures are just as devoted to nature as I am. I was 

always trying to capture the beauty of an ordinary green 

leaf, flower petal, or mysterious mushroom using various 

mediums. 

The work shows how two different species (persons) with different backgrounds can live 

together peacefully in one system, one environment, one bubble. 


Bubble, 12x12x12cm 

Bubble, 12x12x12cm 


47

Interviews 

Kateryna Goncharova 

I create in my works anthropomorphic figures or characters, 

something that can be filled with feelings, reason, and meanings. 

Born: Kherson, Ukraine 

Now: Yerevan, Armenia 

@kateryna_goncharova 

www.kg-artist.com 


Where did your journey as an artist begin? 

I started drawing in my early childhood. I 

often created fictional characters and made 

up stories about them. My school notebooks 

were all painted on the back with images of 

various creatures. Even mathematics was 

easier for me to understand if I personified its 

abstract concepts through concrete personalities. 

That’s how my thinking worked. 

in Kherson. But my environment teased me 

that I could only be an art teacher and such a 

profession would lead to poverty throughout 

my life, etc. Then I gave up, and the next year 

I passed the exams at an architectural university 

in Donetsk because being an architect is 

a profitable job. But in my heart, I remained 

an artist! 

I always knew then that my work would be 

connected with artistic creativity. At the age 

of 10, I went to study at an art studio, and 

after I entered the Faculty of Culture and Arts 

After the engineering classes, I came to the art 

class and drew there for hours, often staying 

all night. 

“ 

The university staff already knew, that I was 

obsessed with drawing and I cannot be 

kicked out from behind the easel, so they 

did keep me. And for me, drawing was the 

air that I breathed! 

How did traveling affect your creativity. What inspired and what images or 

feelings filled your works? 

After receiving an architect’s diploma, I 

realized I lacked knowledge about the human 

being, the inner world I wanted to portray, 

and what drives a person and what shapes 

him. I draw shapes, but each shape is a whole 

material text - why does a person have such a 

look, facial expression, posture, and physique, 

how did a person become like that, what is 

the magic of his personality? 

To find answers to these questions, I went 

to study at the Faculty of Philosophy and 

Religious Studies. At the same time, I worked 

as an interior designer - philosophy nourished 

my soul, but my body also wanted to eat. 

The load then was simply crazy! But I was very 

happy to study. After graduating from the 

University, I realized that life cannot be read 

from books, it can only be lived and passed 

through oneself. If I wanted to learn more 

about people, I had to go among them. That’s 

how I became a member of ethnographic 

expeditions. 

I was lucky to travel a lot on non-tourist 

routes, I saw the real life of people in different 

regions of India, Nepal, Mongolia, Cambodia, 

and many other countries. Also, until 2014, I 

visited Karelia, Tuva, and Buryatia as part of 

expeditions. 


49

Before moving to Armenia, you traveled a lot. Why did you choose this particular 

country? 

Among our research team were two people 

from Armenia - a director and an ideological 

inspirer. And then we decided with the whole 

team that we would be based in Yerevan as 

part of our projects. In 2012 it was an inexpensive 

city to live in, from which it was convenient 

to fly to any point in Asia. Our research 

was mainly aimed at peoples of Asia who 

have not yet succumbed to globalization and 

have retained their authenticity in clothing, 

lifestyle, and rituals. 

When the Maidan began, I was in Nepal at that 

time. Two weeks later I returned to Yerevan 

and flew to Kyiv. I couldn’t stay away! I walked 

along the Maidan with a blue and yellow flag 

with the inscription “Donetsk” on it. 

At the beginning of 2014, I had to return to 

Yerevan because other ethnographic projects 

had already been planned and agreed upon. 

I was supposed to be part of the team by the 

end of the year. 

And then... And then Russian armed groups 

and militarized gangs entered Donetsk, 

many of my friends and acquaintances were 

forced to run with only one bag because they 

were “on the lists.” And some ended up “in 

the basement”. Some have gone missing... In 

short, after 2014 I had nowhere to go back. 

How was the integration in the new place? What did you start doing as a creative 

person? 

I decided to stay in Armenia for the time 

being, got a job as an interior designer and 

painted walls, started creating costumes 

for various shows. At the same time, I went 

on an expedition a couple of times a year, 

because I already had experience and 

hardening, so I could combine the functions 

of a cameraman, a journalist, a photographer, 

and a researcher of everyday life and 

religious beliefs. I took with my pens, felt-tip 

pens, oil pastels, and I made sketches there, 

which I immediately gave to people who 

were models for me. 

You would have seen how happy those 

people were with those portraits! Nobody has 

drawn them yet! And inside me flowed the 

experience of contact with the lives of people 

of another culture, contact with their souls 

through the picture. Sometimes I could buy 

a small canvas and a set of small oil paints on 

the market and paint the images that particularly 

touched me, already more professionally. 

I brought them some later with me. 

In 2015, I took part in a group exhibition 

of portrait painters in Yerevan and exhibited 

three portraits that I painted in India. 

They noticed me, and from that time I 

began to receive commissions for individual 

portraits. 

What is your current main creative direction? What is your art about? 

Now I continue to explore the inner world inside, don’t be afraid of anything! You do 

of a person because this topic is inexhaustible. 

I strive to reach that level of artistry yourself and the world, do not stop!” I exper- 

not know your depth, go forward, explore 

when one can read on canvas without iment with techniques and materials, master 

words: “Human, you have no limitations bigger formats, learn new things through 


Artwork Gallery Magazine The old sikh | 51

Women in red sari 

communication, and exchange thoughts 

and ideas in our community of artists. 

My art is about attentiveness to existence, 

about empathy, about the ability to listen and 

hear. If a person has mastered the art of listening 

to his soul, then the whole world becomes 

his teacher and friend, and other images 

become mirrors in which a person sees the 

reflection of his being, his fears, desires, and 

hopes. Perceiving oneself and others as part 

of oneself as an element of the world in all 

its unity, we begin to see this life with clear 

eyes, to understand that we are the carriers 

of what our life consists of. This creates a 

greater level of responsibility, a higher level 

of consciousness, and attentiveness, and life 

automatically becomes more interesting! 

Did the creativity change after news of a full-scale invasion? 

With the start of the full-scale invasion, I just 

broke down. And although I was not directly in 

the combat zone, the war hit me very painfully 

in the heart. I somehow thought that I was 

emotionally strong and stress-resistant, but 

in reality, I could not cope with this blackness. 

All life energy disappeared somewhere in one 

moment, and my hands fell. Until February 

24, I was engaged in exclusive artificial clothing 

and hats, and even had a small store, but 

after the start of the big war I could not create 

anything, war and glamor are incompatible, 

and rhinestones are not sewn on uniforms. 

For the whole of March 2022, I can only draw 

war. About three months later, I pulled myself 

together, sold most of my products, and 

donated to our army and those volunteers I 

knew personally. 


Already in the summer, I forced myself to pick 

up brushes and start drawing something not 

about the war, but it didn’t work out, I painted 

some kind of pop art, not at all interesting. 

You cannot be creative or happy by force. 

Only in autumn, interesting ideas and images 

began to pop into my head again, but my 

attention is still scattered, part of it is now in 

Ukraine. 

What would you advise artists who are starting their career? 

A sincere, deep, and timely idea gives life 

force, and opens the door to some existential 

dimension, where there is a boundless sea of 

creative energy and where you can stay art 

alive! 

There is a type of happiness that does not 

depend on other people’s opinions and 

assessments, or on other views and preferences. 

This is the true happiness of independence, 

which gives us a kind of spiritual 

energy. Often, artists, when they paint, are 

already poisoned by thoughts about how this 

work will be evaluated. And this does not give 

the feeling of freedom, it does not allow the 

work to incarnate as a living being, with its 

right to its existence, without the cry of our 

ego or the thirst for profit. 

But when you create emotionally naked 

as if you just let the electric current of pure 

creativity pass through you, then you have a 

mystical power of a free person, and this is a 

superpower! 

Artwork Artwork Gallery Magazine | 

53

Kryštof Novotný 

I would like to present my self-portraits to your open call. 

My name is Kryštof Novotný and I live in the Czech Republic. 

I have been painting since I was a child. After high school 

I decided to study History of Art, because I wanted to have 

more scope about curatorial work. 

@krystofnovotnyart 

www.krystofnovotny.art 

Prague, Czechia 

Now I am trying to fully start my artistic career, open a 

studio and things related to it. 

Since 2017, I have been painting my self-portrait every year, and I will always imprint my 

current life situations and moods in each of them. My self-portraits are always very symbolic, 

and as my favorite painter Frida Kahlo said: „I paint self-portraits because I am so often 

alone, because I am the person I know best.“ 


Self-portrait with cat, oil on canvas, 75 x 80 cm, 2023 


55

Fazar R.A Wibisono 

I am a painter from Bandung, Indonesia. I studied fine arts 

by studying from fine arts and design high school and 

then went to fine arts and design high school (university). 

After graduating I worked at an art gallery in Yogyakarta 

Indonesia as a painting artist with a contract for 7 years. 

@fazar.r.a.wibisono 

fazarwibisono.simdif.com 

Bandung, Indonesia 

Now I am only as a freelance painter and continue my 

career as a painter. 

When a population is going extinct, how will the life of that population be known, will it 

be our awareness of this environment or we can only see the extinction of the population. 

And hopefully we can continue to enjoy, see also witness this population still survive on this 

earth. 


Kiss, Hug, Eat #1, Digital Art, 2023 

Kiss, Hug, Eat #2, Digital Art, 2023 


57

Gaia Giongo 

Gaia Giongo uses analog collage as the main medium, 

combining black and withe images with coloured ones 

to explore human needs and feelings, through a feminist 

lens. Her artistic practice moves from a reflection on both 

a personal and a collective dimension of the struggle: on 

the one hand, the exploration of daily-basis little battles as 

the individual research of sense of life and the ironical and 

fail situations; on the other hand, the investigation of more 

collective fights as women rights. 

@gaia_giongo 

Milan, Italy 

The series of analog collages “Be the struggle”, here proposed, specifically addresses feminist 

themes as the struggles for women rights, the urgency to broaden spaces where women 

voices are equally listened and the self-determination of the own bodies. The images investigate 

the concept “relationships” highlighting the networking of women struggles at a 

local and an international level. From Iran to Latin America, from the present to the past, 

from the little one to the biggest one. Through the relationship women share experiences, 

knowledge and practices. The collective exchange becomes a form of resistance and a tool 

to challenge the current unequal status quo. 

In this perspective, the collage technique perfectly fits the theme: as in collage, single pieces 

are merged together to create a new semantic and aesthetic combination, so globally 

women are joining struggles, bodies and visions in social relationships to achieve justice. 


OnFire, 40x60cm painting 


59

Gala Mashanova 

My role as an artist is to connect the world of people and 

their emotions, emphasising their inseparable bond. I 

strive to highlight the abundance of emotions and impressions, 

presenting their diversity through various materials 

and conveying to the viewer the harmony between visual 

language and emotional variety. 

@galagram_collage 

Belgrade, Serbia 

The variety of nature serves as my source of inspiration. I 

am intrigued by the exploration of natural textures using 

different materials. Our emotions, like the surrounding 

nature, interact organically with each other, becoming an 

integral part of life. 

My project is about the close connection between people, as if it looks like connection in 

media. All of our connection is about the addition to each other, and creating new relations 

in this process. 

It is known that color influences mood and “colours” our impressions according to the 

intended goals. Therefore, I explore and work with color, carefully selecting harmonious 

combinations. It is important to note that new experiences enrich and inspire us, and my 

artworks also bring forth new sensations, images, and experiences. 



61

Veronika Petuchova 

Photography by Lizzy Zaanen, @lizzaanen 

As an artist, Veronika Petuchova finds herself constantly 

lost in work, embracing the liminal spaces between reality 

and imagination. Her paintings vary in style, from bold, 

colourful pieces to somber monochromatic works. The 

work changes constantly but it always reflects on a sense 

of nostalgia and uncertainty of the future. She finds solace 

in traditional mediums, such as oil and acrylics. The canvas 

is a gateway to the worlds in her mind, ploughing through 

childlike wonder and possibilities. 

@veronikapetuchova 

veronikapetuchova.com 

Den Haag, Netherlands 

I believe the presented series of portraits relates to the theme of Connections very well due 

to their nature. It can be hard to connect to people in general, both to the ones close to us 

as well as those we are just meeting. Eye contact and facial expressions is what allows us to 

relate information, as we get the best impression in person. Unfortunately we do not always 

get the opportunity to do so. Due to distance or other interference we are bound to digital 

communication, which carries benefits but also complications. Overwhelmed to keep up 

with connections that are too far from us or just straight up unreachable through the blue 

light. Especially with older generation that we cannot reach, like my grandmother. These 

paintings deal with overflow of informations and call to look inwards. To communicate and 

connect not only with others but also ourselves. 


OnFire, 40x60cm painting 


63

Marie Le Moigne 

My work is not limited to a single medium. Indeed, I exploit 

as much photography, typography, writing, video, painting. 

Sometimes the mediums intersect, challenge each other, 

mix. Between document and photographs, between literature 

and visual language, I experiment with the photographic 

and filmic image to give matter to language. My 

universe feeds on contemplation a bit like Arthur Rimbaud, 

therefore on modern and contemporary literature and the 

environment. 

@lejournaldemary.bzh 

www.marielemoigne.com 

Plobannalec-Lesconil, 

France 

« Demain commence - Hier Termine » « Tomorrow begins - Yesterday ends » 

Two photographs deconstruct temporality. CYCLIC. They tell a fictional and/or real story. 

They invite themselves into the intimate space. I want to open a space close to the self-portrait 

or the autobiography. 

The female body is revealed, spreads, time stands still and the landscape is transformed 

into intimate territories. Temporalities are dissolved. Deconstruct temporality. 

The abstract cycle of life. 


Tomorrow begins 

Yesterday ends 


65

Anastasia Dzhupina 

In my work I focus primarily on the human being, emotions 

and internal rifts, referring to my own experiences. I often 

use earth colors, as well as various shades of yellow, which 

is sometimes identi!ied with mental disorders, anger and 

madness. 

@artnastka 

malarstwo-anastazji.pl 

Krakow, Poland 

My works are executed using oil technique, painting with 

thick impastos, giving texture to the work. 

My paintings refer to extreme human emotions, often very extreme, caused by mental 

disorders. Such people are engaged in a battle with themselves, which often takes place in 

solitude, without the knowledge of even their loved ones. Mental disorders are not understood 

by most people. Often people who have been diagnosed feel isolated and sometimes 

even discriminated against. My works are meant to show the normality of such states, when 

you feel overwhelmed by emotions and want to scream. 


Emotions tear me apart, oil on canvas, 50x40cm, 2022 


67

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Artwork Gallery – Magazine Issue 2. Connections

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