Art Through Which Light Shines
Chatting with Tarantula: Authors And Art feature artist of April 2022, Daria Alyoshkina
If you are new or have landed on Tarantula: Authors and Art for the very first time, welcome to our monthly interview with our featured artist. Throughout the first half of April, we were lucky to get acquainted with the hopeful Vytynanky created by the Ukrainian artists Daria Alyoshkina. This month, we are also happy to introduce to you Tarantula: Authors and Art’s new contributor, the Lithuanian photographer and journalist Kristina Aleksynaitè. If a friend forwarded you this article, welcome; if you like it, share it or why not subscribe?
Sometimes works of art have a strong effect on our subconsciousness, reminding us of something close and familiar, even if we have seen it for the first time. This is what happened when I discovered the Ukrainian artist Daria Alyoshkina.
The first time I saw her works on social media - huge carvings covering the windows, decorated with angels, oracles and deities, through which light shines - it brought me back to my grandmother's homestead in Lithuania.
The magical village of my childhood emerged with its crocheted doilies made by the elderly, peaceful summer walks in the woods, and endless stories about our ancestors.
Exploring Daria Alyoshkina's artworks and interviewing her, I understood where these images came from. As a child, she learned the art of carving, which has been passed down through generations in Ukraine, so they reflect the whole cultural heritage and beauty of the country.
This exceptional Ukrainian artist is well known from Paris, Germany, Poland to South Korea by her artworks of Vytynanky - traditional Ukrainian decorations, made from paper cutouts.
The word Vytynanky came from the verb "vytynaty" and it means "to cut out." Her paper cut artworks can be small as a card or big as 4 meters high carvings for the window. After it is mapped out, it can take three days to make one piece.
Today Daria Alyoshkina lives in Poland with her family, as they had to leave their home when Russia started the war in Ukraine. In spite of the stress and pain she’s experiencing about her countries’ genocide happening as I write, this mother of three children says that she’s feeling a huge responsibility to represent her culture as an artist as well as to support her family and country by continuously working on her art.
TARANTULA: AUTHORS AND ART: Daria, tell us where are you now and where were you when the war started in Ukraine?
Daria Alyoshkina: On the morning of February 24, our family was woken by the sound of sirens in the city of Lviv. As we had previously considered the worst-case scenario (war), we had planned to leave immediately with the children, to vacate the apartment with my large family from Kiev and Kharkiv. We have a large number of family members in the country. We stayed for two days at the border with Poland. Our close friends from there helped us with housing, things and food. My husband was not allowed through the cordon, and it was very stressful for me and my children. Although he was able to come in a week legally. As a father of many children, he can be with his family by law.
You have posted your work "Land" on Instagram and you wrote "...a day without colors. Consciousness does not want to accept the events that are happening and what is happening now with our nation ... “
I could never have imagined that in the 21st century such an evil could take place. With each passing day and with the terrible events in Ukraine, you realize that our nation is being destroyed. The best die, the children die... I can't sleep at night, I have dreams of flames. I'm under constant stress. I'm worried about the country, about my family, about my mother and father, about my brothers and sisters.
Is your family in Ukraine now?
My brothers are now in Kiev and I am worried about them.
In one of your social media posts, you were worried about your fathers’ sculptures, which might be destroyed. Tell us more about the family you grew up in.
My parents, Alexey and Lyudmila, are artists. They moved to the village in the early 80’s. Dad is from Kiev, mum from Minsk. In the village they created a creative home, taught in local schools. As we had a very creative father in all aspects - we had no choice, we also got involved in the artistic processes. We were engaged in ceramics, painting, sculpture, theater, and vytynanky. My father was the founder of the open-air sculpture symposium in Ukraine in 1985-1986.
I grew up surrounded by sculptures - I think subconsciously it influenced the choice of my profession. Also, the fact that my mother is a sculptor influenced me to become a monumental sculptor, which is not a simple profession for a woman.
I wanted to be a great sculptor, but my children turned my creative career in a different direction. When they’ve born one by one, I could no longer pull the sculpture, I had to keep myself within 4 walls - and here I was saved by Vytynanky.
Do you create now, what is your daily life?
It's very difficult to pick yourself up and start living. But first of all, I feel a great responsibility to Ukraine - I have no right to whine, because I am not in a war zone, not in a cellar. That's why I have actively started to create work - to support my family and to help with a little money for the needs of our Army. I try to triumph over the terrible news of the day.
When I see your works it reminds me of my grandmother, the countryside, peace and calmness. Tell us more about your work. How did it all start?
Vytynanky was a childhood hobby - my mother and I often decorated the house with paper patterns, and at school we learned this technique more than just cutting snowflakes - thanks to my parents, who learnt the knowledge from the folk masters of Podillya. I don't remember my first paper work - but it was probably the snowflake on the window. Then I returned to Vytynanky at the time of my three children's birth - my career as a sculptor had to be suspended because motherhood took up a lot of time at home. The desire to be creative did not leave me and I turned to my childhood hobby Vytynanky. So I can say it saved my work. I do not stop doing it because there is a demand. I have a continuous flow of orders and projects.
Tell us more about the technique you use.
I have been experimenting with the technique of quilting, trying out what works best for me and what technique suits me best. I have learnt the knife technique, there is also the scissors technique and the hand technique, when hands are used instead of scissors.
What is the main idea behind your works?
In the first place, for me, Vytynanka is a charm. My parents taught me that “in a house filled with vytynanka, Gods stand on the porch.” And it's a very exciting process because you don't know what's going to happen at the end. It is a kind of magic. Also, the process is very meditative and creative. In my work, I combine together the depths of my imagination with the meaning of the ornaments and symbols that carry information.
You are an artist whose works seem to have a clear identity. Your work evokes national motifs, I see you in photographs wearing national clothes.
I grew up in a family with a love of nationality and tradition. In our country it is very much appreciated. I graduated from an art college and started to incorporate all our Ukrainian ornaments into my work.
How do you identify yourself now in these circumstances?
I feel great responsibility as a representative of the culture of my country.
I see religious imagery in your work. How important is it to you?
I don't often make sacred images - it's not easy, but I often turn to such images as the Mother of God and St. Michael and St. Nicholas. The most important female image is the woman Berehynia. I turn to her most often.
How do you relate Berehynia to yourself?
In pre-Christian beliefs, Berehynia is the Great Goddess, the main goddess of life, goodness, the protection of man from all evil, and the patroness of harvests. She is also the defender of the house, small children from all sorts of diseases, disasters and death. The goddess was depicted on white amulets which were hung on windows and doors. There they were to protect people from dark forces. The caretaker is a woman who supports and protects the home, acting as a cover for the whole family circle, first of all the maiden. Ukrainians not only embroidered her on materials, painted her on Easter eggs, but also cut them out of paper. In the most ancient ornaments of the scriptures found, the goddess Berehynia is depicted with both hands raised. I really like to refer to this image in my artwork - it is close to my heart and I feel a good energy from this symbol.
As I understand, in your art you use some ornaments or symbols, which are believed, has supernatural abilities to protect people or bring happiness.
It's not so easy for me to take on the role of a sniper. So I use it in my art. In my works a lot of symbols and ornaments have not only a graphic meaning but also a semantic one - some ornaments have strong charms in their signs. This is why nowadays, at such difficult times, these methods are also used - an oracle, which is attributed with the supernatural ability to ward off sorrow and bring happiness, designed to protect its owner. It is also believed to bring good luck, prevent misfortune and improve health. Because of this, talismans have gained considerable popularity since ancient times. But there are now many mystics who are creating the so-called mystical front in Ukraine.
As an artist myself, I know to be alive, we need to create. Is that possible at the moment, when you are experiencing such hard times?
I think it is very personal. I’m a mother and quite an emotional person, who takes every news (in this case bad news) close to my soul and experience it.
And now there are so many artists who also create so-called art fronts in Ukraine. It is not easy for me to take a pencil. So I started to work on more mechanical tasks at the same time - I made repetitions of old works and so on. I think it will take a while for these experiences to develop into concrete work.
Do you think art remains important at all in extreme situations like this?
Nowadays, art is very necessary - thanks to the Internet platforms, art is seen everywhere, they tell about events, talk and ask for help. Contemporary art is on time, as always.
In times of war, the arts become even more important - they are an expression of our identity and our culture.
It is the pivot on which our faith in victory rests.
The freedom to create art is one of the values for which Ukrainians are ready to give their lives. It is an integral part of the concept of "freedom".
Do you imagine how your work will change after the war, whether new forms of work will emerge?
My family has always represented Ukraine on many platforms around the world.
After the war, we will do so even more confidently and locally. We are a nation with very deep roots and a cultural heritage.
How can we, as artists working all over the world, contribute to building freedom in the world?
In my opinion, the most important thing that has been said about us in the world - we will not be confused with the Russians - not ever! Ukraine and Ukrainians are a strong independent country with a strong spirit and will.
What kind of support for Ukraine is most needed from artists all over the world?
We ask and beg you to hear us - our nation is being destroyed, and I am currently communicating with this interview and at the same time our finest soldiers, civilians and children are dying... Please help us to save Ukraine - I plead with you!
To find out more about Daria’s work follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vytynankaalyoshkina/
Thank you Daria for so much beauty and inspiration! We hope that the war in Ukraine ends soon and that you will be able to start rebuilding your country with your sculptures and Vytynanky. We wish for all your family to remain safe.
If you are interested in buying Daria’s work, please contact her directly:
A few links that will lead you to the magical world that Daria’s parents created to raise her and her siblings as well as pictures of their art:
www.instagram.com/alyoshkin_oleksa/?hl=en
https://www.vocnt.org.ua/master/aloshkin
In honour of our Ukrainian artists, we will donate all new yearly paid subscriptions that we get during the month of April to help Ukraine. A big thanks to our first subscriber, Norma Kuykendall!
If you currently can’t help financially, help us spread the word! In addition to following Daria’s majestic work on Tarantula: Authors and Arts’ Substack page, follow us on Instagram for more of her art @tarantula_authors_and_art
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