Re:connection - 2 European rollers in flight

This painting is a part of the Re:connection project - a group project about the war in Ukraine which was represented in Slovenia ("Art is Us" exhibition, ZRC SAZU, 24/02/23).

Collection Description:
Connection isn’t about people only, as well as a war that destroys it. In my collection, I do research about reconnection with the motherland. The heroes of my paintings are European rollers, the bright vulnerable species that live both in the south of Ukraine and Slovenia. The war forced these birds to migrate to a new area. However, when the fighting ends, they will return to reconnect to their native land. I used ornaments from the "Album of Ukrainian embroidery patterns of 1886" (edition: James G Collins & Associates. Texas, 2022). Although the cross embroidery isn’t authentic for Ukraine, it becomes an integral part of Ukrainian culture and depicts that feeling when everything is in its right place. We'll also have that feeling when we return home from forced emigration. Connection with the motherland doesn’t fade out for people, birds, and other species.

In 2022 I was forced to change my location too. I moved to the west of Ukraine, but most of my relatives stayed in Kyiv and Mykolaiv region. I still live in the west and wait until I can reconnect with my native land.

Materials: watercolors on 300 g watercolor paper.
It can be used with or without passe-partout, but I guess without passe-partout will look better.