From Skovoroda’s philosophy to art image

Kateryna Tkachenko told in an interview with The Day in February this year that she often works in the genre of historical painting, however, now she has developed her own special style – “ethnic magical realism.” The artist made her first creative steps in Kharkiv. She moved to Kyiv to find herself as an artist.

In 2010 Tkachenko decorated the Kharkiv Literary Museum with themed murals dedicated to Hryhorii Skovoroda. Of course, this happened after she learned a great deal about Skovoroda’s philosophy. At that time she got the idea of organizing an exhibition that would bring Skovoroda’s views closer to people.

“The world that gives us ideas is always new. Centuries pass, but the essence of a human remains unchanged: beauty, life, death, love – have we invented anything new, different from what we used to have? When I was painting flowers I felt that this was real and it is something I have to speak about. It seems to me that people are now somewhat tired of the crazy pace of life, they need to go back to their own selves, to spiritual values, to peace and love,” said Tkachenko in her commentary to The Day at the opening.

The artist stressed that flowers in her paintings are a symbol of creativity and flowers of the heart are the artistic process. The series of paintings “Flowers of the Heart” in the gallery “ABC-art” presented the author’s view of art and an artist in it. Tkachenko “inserts” her self-portraits in her flowers. This method is similar to what Spanish artist Frida Kahlo did in her time. In such a way art work becomes a personal revelation about the author as a Woman, a Person, and an Artist.

Paintings of the series “Flowers of the Heart” can be viewed in the gallery “ABC-art” until November 10 at 10b, Vozdvyzhenska Street.