"Fantasty", 2023
canvas, acrylic, 90 × 120 cm
FANTASY
I created a work depicting a small, ghostly elephant. It almost disappears among the other details of the painting—barely noticeable, yet significant. This image is dedicated to the animals and zookeepers of a private zoo in Kharkiv who were killed by Russian shelling.
The elephant appears as a specter, a symbol of both fragility and resilience, a reminder that war affects everything—not only people but also nature, animals, and the very idea of coexistence. I wanted this image to feel both light and unsettling, like a memory that is difficult to grasp yet impossible to forget.
In the composition, a girl holds a piece of fabric with the words "Have you seen how beautiful it was here?" written on it. This phrase echoes through the space, emphasizing the contrast between past and present, between what was and what remains.
For me, this work is a way to speak about loss, vulnerability, and the unbreakable connection between people, animals, and the space we all share.
"Fantasty", 2023
canvas, acrylic, 90 × 120 cm
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