10 Questions with Ksenia Tsyganyuk

Ksenia Tsyganyuk was born in Russia in 1991. Since childhood, she has been actively demonstrating artistic abilities. But the start of Ksenia’s artistic career was laid in 2015 after moving from Russia to Ukraine.
Ksenia reveals the ideas of the inner growth of the personality, and the struggle for freedom through work with images of nature. People, as social beings, cannot grow apart from the environment. And when humans are open to the perception of nature, they are capable of personal growth.
In the recent months since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Ksenia has been acutely aware of the dualism of the outside world through the mutual pressure of the two cultures. Ukraine has opened up opportunities for her to realize herself as an artist, and Russia is her birthplace.
Ksenia’s latest artworks reflect the theme of memory and identity, as well as the hope of a return to a peaceful life. In her art, Ksenia does not show the pain of internal conflict. But she seeks points of support to rise and move forward, to help others rebuild their lives.

@k_tsyganyuk

ARTIST STATEMENT

As an artist, Ksenia enhances colors and searches for unusual combinations that add energy and life to the scene. She creates a collective image of reality. Her art speaks the language of natural images because it’s like touching eternity. Our life is cyclical and not separate from nature. If one forgets about this, the inner ego of a person begins to push into irrational acts.

Thus, people fall into the trap of interpersonal conflict, directing the energy of their lives towards destruction rather than creation. But when we are attentive to the external environment, we notice not only the splendor of nature, but we open up space for the transformation of the personality.

INTERVIEW

First of all, could you tell us a little more about your background? How did you develop into the artist you are today?

I felt a passion for creativity from school when I tried to participate in any activities where you need to draw or manifest yourself. I drew the school paper, designed the party decorations, and helped my classmates in art class. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the courage to choose a painting university because I thought it was only accepted after basic art school. I got my BA in public affairs. And the turning point was moving to Ukraine, where I had an hour to realize my true desires and return to my creative environment.
Then in 2015, I began studying various educational materials and started working with acrylic paints. The big benefit for my growth was that I found a community of other artists online. Thanks to such communication and support, since 2017, I have come to work on orders and small sales of paintings both in Ukraine and abroad.
I am among like-minded people, and I consider it the most important stage in my career as an artist. Some achieve this at university, while others, like me, find online communities. Access to global knowledge, and the ability to learn from other accomplished artists that you admire is the most active factor for development. And it also led me to think about using my experience in sales, communication, and growing my community, helping Russian and Ukrainian-speaking artists become bolder in their work and promotion.

What is your personal aim as an artist?

My goal is to transform my personal experience as an artist into a ground that will give aspiring artists the strength and courage to reveal their talents, let go of their fears and present themselves. In addition, I want to contribute to the development of a community where creative people can find support, share experiences, and find their name in the international art arena.

Your paintings convey a sense of calmness and positivity. What are your sources of inspiration? And how much of your daily life is reflected in your works of art?

Even when sad events happen in Ukraine, I feel the power to create paintings that convey positive emotions. They are like hope and belief that there are still more good events and people in the world. My teacher is the outside world, and spending a lot of time in nature, it helps me to get saturated with this energy of calm.
Maybe I was influenced by the practice I did while studying martial arts. When you remain calm, you can evaluate your opponent and use his energy, distributing it to yourself as an additional source of your endurance to find the right moment for active action. Something similar happens in painting.
When I observe the world and explore the state to breathe more life into the image, the energy brings the viewer a sense of peace and the ability to hold on to the inner core, even if the surrounding circumstances want to confuse you.

What about the colors you use? Do they have any specific meaning? And how do you choose them?

The colors I see in nature give interesting combinations, and I try to reinforce them on canvas. I like the vividness and richness of colors, and the ability to transmit depth. This takes us a little to the virtual world of our dreams, where space also conveys a variety of bright emotions. But my palette is also dominated by cold shades, which happens unconsciously, probably because I was born in the North.

What is the most challenging part of your work?

It’s amazing, and in the right spirit, I can finish a big canvas in a couple of days. However, the most difficult thing is to keep myself in the frame, because I have an abundance of ideas that I want to implement immediately, and the focus of attention is greatly blurred. The concentration of your mind is needed for the painting to come alive and share its energy. That’s what I keep learning to do, including through meditation.

How has your art evolved over the years? And what else would you like to experiment with?

When I first discovered acrylic paint, thanks to Mike Swab, I was struck by the variability of this material, which can be used as a watercolor, very liquid, or used with other mediums to thicken your paints. But I’m also experimenting with other materials.
This stage of growing up is expressed in the desire to work in a more mixed media technique with acrylic inks, textiles, and oils. I feel the desire in landscapes to go to more abstract and expressive forms. Because in nature, there is also volatility, and it is it that expresses the very basis of life - everything is fluid and changing.

What do you hope that the public takes away from your work?

Motives of nature which are one of the main means of expressiveness for me, are the product of work with emotional plan and reflection on the topic of freedom, identity, realization. So it’s more like a symbolic form of being, but it carries ideas. I often draw parallels between objects of nature and man, his emotions, and his personal growth. It’s like talking about qualities like resilience, courage, and kindness, not through direct actions of people but through indirect interaction. As if a hug expresses care and loves often more than if I told you directly I love you. So it’s my job to make the audience feel more emotionally as they remember scenes from where they’re happy.

Do you have a role model that you’ve drawn inspiration from when creating your art?

The main inspiration is now Jose Trujillo. The former vice president of Sotheby’s and Tiffany & Co described him as a modern Monet. But I admire his energy. The man, who is like a nuclear reactor, has so much expression in his speech and paintings, that it immediately buys his sincerity. And, of course, Richard Claremont. These guys are my best teachers.

As you are living in Ukraine, these past few months have been particularly tough. How do you cope with the situation? Does art help you with it?

Many things happened during these months of the war. For me personally, this was a movement towards realizing my role. Art is not only a means to express the ideas of the struggle of the people of Ukraine for the liberation of the country. It is also an opportunity to convey messages to the world and sometimes to remind the world that there is a value in freedom and life. Art influences through the emotional aspect, and I see the artists of Ukraine jointly encouraging the public to look at the truth of what is happening (terrible things).
For me, the current situation has made the community even more powerful. And to understand how I can personally bring myself to the benefit when through social networks, I raise themes that help artists, despite all experiences, to move out of the cocoon of fear and to give voice to their Art for the world.

And finally, do you have any upcoming plans or projects you would like to share with our readers?

I plan to focus more on working with the Ukrainian community. To do this, I hold consultations and work on collections of articles with answers on how to present yourself at the international level, communicate with foreign audiences, and sell. In Ukraine there are very talented people, and I want to participate in making more Ukrainian artists available to the world audience. I see my strong side in the preparation of educational content.
Also, I continue to work on my “Hope” series. It is dedicated to events in Ukraine, here are researched characters of people. It’s like a message to the universe and a hope for an early peace. Since some of the paintings have been sold off for charitable purposes, it is necessary to add to the collection so that it can be presented at a local or international exhibition.