Ivan Svitlychnyi’s Tree, 2023
papier-mâché, wood, paraffin
45 × 40 × 80 cm
Ivan Svitlychnyi was always a kind of bridge — someone who could, almost magically, connect people and events. He embodied something deeply primal and vital, in contrast to the regime that tried to unite society through artificial, fabricated narratives. Through his life, he represented the inner energy that brings things into visibility, the light that breaks through darkness.
“The ghost of the “Shakhtarsky Cake”, 2024
papier-mâché, acrylic
38 × 438 cm
The cake’s recipe was invented even before World War II. People in Luhansk passed down a story about the first director of the Voroshilovgrad Confectionery Factory — a former military man who ended the war in Germany, where he visited several pastry shops. There, he saw elegantly decorated sweets filled with nuts and coated in chocolate glaze.
“He returned to his native Voroshilovgrad (the old name of Luhansk) with this idea. He gathered a team who truly loved the craft of confectionery, and together they created this cake,” says Tamara Kolesnyk, a leading technologist in the chocolate division at AVK Confectionery, who has worked at the company for nearly 30 years.
“Sifting Through Memories”, 2024
textile, found objects
78 × 170 cm
These tiny things are only the fragile remnants of what once happened.
I never saw this swan myself. Only the winch could recognize it — and it’s gone too.
With these words, you can distinguish one thing from another, just for a moment, before the image dissolves.
“my tortoise didn`t survive war”, 2023
papier-mâché, acrylic
25 × 17 cm