10 Questions with Rymma Vinogradova

Rymma Vinogradova is a Ukrainian contemporary artist based in Basel, Switzerland, working in the style of figurative art. She was born in 1998 in Ukraine, where she spent 21 years of her life.

In 2013, she graduated from the Art School named after Raisa Kyrychenko in her hometown, Poltava. Since her youth, Rymma has been discovering Ukrainian culture in its various manifestations. This gave her a sense of taste and aesthetics as she feels and sees it now. Her main question is: is there a place for ethnicity in our "virtual" reality? In Rymma's reality, there is. She delves even deeper into the study of ancestral traditions, folk art, and peculiarities of history and passes them to others because they are very fragile. "If we don't recreate it in our memory now, who will pass it on to future generations?" − is the question that prompts Rymma to talk incessantly about the importance of saving and rethinking cultural heritage through her artwork.

Art, for her, is a path and the way to be heard.

www.rymmavinogradovaart.com | @rymma_vinogradovaart

ARTIST STATEMENT

In her artistic practice, Rymma Vinogradovas explores how current trends of human development are transforming the cultural heritage, how it changes into new forms and reveals itself in new ways of contemporary conditions.

By seamlessly combining past and present, she emphasises the timeless relevance of cultural heritage and its importance in shaping of identity. By immersing viewers in a thought-provoking environment, she invites them to reflect on the consequences of cultural loss and develop a deep sense of connection and empathy. In her art, viewers can find a juxtaposition of strength and fragility, stability and instability.

Rymma Vinogradova believes that it is impossible to comprehend the essence of art, but rather the opposite: art helps us understand our taste, what we feel and who we are in general.

In her work, she tries not to neglect the visual and attaches great importance to the form, making my art as aesthetically pleasing as possible, trying to leave room for air because a painting has to breathe.

She works mainly with acrylics on canvas, but she also likes to achieve interesting effects using oil and watercolour pastels, ink, charcoal, and even texture paste.

INTERVIEW

First of all, introduce yourself to our readers. What is your background, and how did you start getting involved with art?

My name is Rymma Vinogradova. I was born in Ukraine. In 2013 I graduated from Poltava Municipal Academy of Arts, where I gained basic knowledge of art history, composition, and color and tried different techniques. I think it gave me an initial understanding of how art works.
Since my childhood, I have been surrounded by Ukrainian culture and aesthetics, absorbing literature, visual art, and folk music. On this basis, I developed my own style and aesthetic sense. Thanks to the people around me, especially my teachers, I touched a nerve in our long-suffering culture. I found not only the form but also the content.
For a long time, I was in a phase of searching myself and perceived art as a hobby. Three years ago, I realized that I didn't need to look for something else but to develop myself in what I wanted to do since childhood. So now I believe that art is the path that I want to follow. This realization came after I moved to Switzerland. Now I live and work in Basel, surrounded by many art institutions, museums, and world art fairs. I feel that this city, combined with the poise of Switzerland, gives me a sense of belonging to the art world and encourages me to work even more inspired.

How would you describe yourself as a person and as an artist?

I don't separate myself from my artwork as I reflect on the canvas what excites and inspires me. My art is a reflection of what I care about, what I think about, and what I feel. Art helps me to comprehend my own experience. And, as trite as it may sound, my art comes from the inside out. Therefore, I can say that we are one.
As a person, I am very emotional and empathic. Art helps me to cope with my emotions, release feelings and helps me to feel better. When it comes to working on projects, meeting deadlines, or choosing material, I am very reserved and focused. My priority is to do my job well.

You mainly work with painting and predominantly focus on figurative art. Why did you choose this medium? And what does it represent for you?

I was always drawn to figurative art. There were periods of experimentation in my work, and I can say that I found my style two years ago.
I chose figurative art because I am inspired by the plasticity of the body, the beauty of curves, and its individual parts. Figurativeness has always been the basis of my work. I like to paint people, especially women, depicting them as graceful, fragile, and strong at the same time. To achieve this effect, I allow myself to deviate from the anatomically correct physique, exaggerating or contradicting the natural proportions of the body. I don't pay much attention to the details of the face; I can leave it completely unpainted. I don't want to distract attention and overload the work. I try to convey all the feelings through the image of the body, color, and overall composition.
I remember that earlier, I used to do naive art inspired by the work of Marija Prymatschenko. In art school, I could spend hours drawing details and small patterns. Now, on the contrary, I need more movement; I'm more drawn to something free, careless, maybe something abstract.

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your artistic routine when working?

Planning takes more attention than the creation process itself. I always think, plan, and reflect for a long time. It involves research and immersion in stories and symbols. This, as well as my own experiences and memories, serve as the basis for the visual language I use.
I usually know in advance what emotion I want to convey, and I have a rough idea of shape and color. The final form appears as a result of experiments, a combination of traditional and modern artistic techniques. That is why I call my technique multi-layered, because I apply several layers of paint, smoothly adjusting the shape. I get some effects very spontaneously by experimenting and exploring the properties of the material, adding oil or dry pastel, texture paste, ink, charcoal, or graphite to acrylic. The moment of searching falls precisely in the process of work.
When I paint, I put myself in a special state by listening to authentic recordings of folk songs. Recently, it has been difficult for me to work in silence, so I often listen to lectures, books, or conversations while painting.

Your statement mentions how your work "explores how current trends in human development are transforming our cultural heritage, how it changes into new forms and reveals itself in new ways of contemporary conditions." What changes have you noticed, and how are these reflected in your work?

Cultures are constantly evolving; some elements are filtered out, while others are preserved and passed down through the ages. Many people perceive the literature, history, and physical objects we have inherited as something that has lost its relevance. But what we used to look at through the prism of the past has great power in the present, and this power should not be underestimated. These are history, traditions, elements of folk clothing, crafts, jewelry, decorative and applied arts, folk songs and dances -- the names of heroes, artists, dissidents, and freedom fighters. All of this becomes extremely relevant in times of crisis and becomes support. It helps to understand the present, draw conclusions, and form values.
In times of crisis, people usually look for support. Reflecting on the Russian-Ukrainian war, we find answers to our questions in what our ancestors said many centuries ago. Therefore, the most important change I have seen recently is a new perception of cultural heritage and its role in the present.
I can also illustrate this with an example from my own life. As a teenager, I was involved in folk music, singing in a choir. Even then, I felt the power of traditional authentic singing, but I perceived the meanings inherent in the songs in a completely different way, superficially. Now the words have acquired a different weight. In the paintings from the series "Voice," I tried to convey the power of the voice, its deep vibrations, and, indirectly, the meaning inherent in folk songs. In a way, working on this series was my personal therapy.
I am interested in watching how the visual component of cultural heritage adapts to modernity. In my work, I separate the images imposed by the domination of the empire, returning authenticity to the original aesthetics. I try to adapt the visual component of cultural heritage to the present, relying on authenticity and rejecting excessive pomp, simplifying it.

Wedding, Acrylic, oil pastel, ink on canvas, 110 x 90 cm, 2022 © Rymma Vinogradova

What would you like to communicate to the viewers? What messages do you want to convey with your work?

Art is perceived on different levels. Accompanying texts should serve as a supplement, not a basis for understanding the work. That's why I want my art to be understandable, at least on a superficial level, without a description. I want my works to speak for themselves.
With each of my pieces, I broadcast different messages, but everything can lead to the same theme. Through my art, I seek to engage viewers in a dialogue about the value of preserving our shared cultural heritage, emphasizing beauty, resilience, and fragility. I aim to evoke a deep sense of connection and empathy in the audience.
For example, my latest series, "Stone Women, "which I am still working on, explores the theme of women's resilience and vulnerability to cultural heritage and family memory. The ancient stone sculptures that I was inspired by for my work have witnessed our entire history. They are thousands of years old. They witnessed everything: all wars, repressions, genocides. They stood for thousands of years until the fall of 2022 when one of the statues was destroyed by a Russian missile. Why did they stand for so long? To be destroyed by a rocket at the peak of human development in the 21st century? It was this question that prompted me to research this topic and to show the absurdity of our current state as humanity.
The way we are losing our cultural heritage through cataclysms or just human negligence reminds me of melting glaciers. Ultimately, my artistic practice is based on a deep understanding of the diversity of human culture and the importance of respecting it. It saddens me to realize that humanity still allows itself to lose the variety of cultures. That is why I chose this topic for my research because it needs attention, protection, and sometimes even rethinking.
Any culture can be manipulated by the authorities, become one-sided, and in the worst case, disappear. For a long time, Ukrainian culture was captive to the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, which prevented it from developing to its full potential. But despite the colonial experience, our culture has survived because it is strong and self-sufficient, with roots that go back centuries.
The countries of the former Soviet Union were not the only ones who were traumatized by imperialism. There are already many ghost countries in the world that have had their place on the map taken away from them, and it hurts me. Therefore, I consider my artwork to be relevant in a global context.

How much planning goes into each artwork?

When I'm working on a piece, I'm usually already thinking about future series and working on sketches. Sometimes the ideas come while I'm working on sketches; sometimes, they come spontaneously. Now I feel that a new series of works are being born in my head, and I already have a rough idea of the visual component and technique. But there are a few conceptual questions I'm looking for answers to. As soon as I find these answers, I will start to realize the project. It can take months, weeks. I try not to do anything under pressure.
Sometimes I allow myself to relax and just quote my favorite artists, for example, Gustav Klimt, Fedir Krytschewskyj or Ferdinand Hodler. At these moments, I just enjoy the creative process, immersing myself in the world of these artists and improving my own artistic style. I start painting such works very spontaneously, without much preparation.

Transmission - Part 1, Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 100 cm, 2023 © Rymma Vinogradova

Transmission - Part 2, Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 100 cm, 2023 © Rymma Vinogradova

Is there anything else, art-wise, that you would like to experiment with? Any new techniques or mediums you would like to incorporate into your practice?

Although I love classical painting on canvas most of all, in the near future, I want to try my hand at sculpture. I want to expand my last project, "Stone Women," with sculptures made of ceramic and thus deepen its perception by the audience. I am interested in how my "stone women" can work in space in a three-dimensional format. In this way, I want to convey a sense of how fragile our cultural heritage is, to show the confrontation between strength and vulnerability.

What are you working on right now? Are any exciting projects or exhibitions coming up soon?

As I mentioned earlier, I continue to work on my «Stone Women» project.» At the same time, I am preparing for a residency organized by the We & The World Kozytskyi Charity Foundation, which will take place in Lugano in September 2023. As part of the residency, several exhibition projects are planned in Switzerland and Ukraine. Therefore, this summer, I will be more engaged in planning and preparing for the creation of new works. There are several important topics for research.

And finally, what is your biggest goal for 2023?

To look wider, dig deeper, tell more.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.

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