Meditative fairy tales

The Kyiv-based artist Iryna Ternavska employs two somewhat related yet markedly different techniques: oil painting and silk painting. Yet the works now on display at her solo exhibit at Gallery 36 on Andriyivsky Uzviz create a single and strangely unified space full of harmony and a fairy-tale-like spirit.

Iryna Ternavska’s works are distinguished by, but not confined to, two important notions: peace and wonder. Peace is mysterious, never-ending valleys with foggy lakes and vaguely-outlined hills or unknown “southern lands” with little white towns by a huge blue sea. This is the habitat of the artist’s heroes, who are omniscient daydreamers and to a certain extent touchingly defenseless, who sometimes wear Oriental but more often totally fantastic outfits. Wonder is what is going on in this great, beautiful, and slightly sad world of lovers and their beloved.