Gallery: Young Ukrainian illustrator's distinctive works on show in Tartu
A surreal mix of mythology, emotion and self-reflection take center stage in Ukrainian artist Denys Kulikov's prickly new solo exhibition at Tartu's Kett Gallery.
Opened September 11, the exhibition, titled "I'm My Own Executioner and Lunch," traces the development of Kulikov's distinctive symbolism and visual language over the past several years.
His illustrations draw on mythologies from different cultures, blending them with personal emotions and experiences.
The exhibition's title, Kulikov said, refers to lost opportunities, shame and the realization that he is the architect of his own failures. Its eponymous centerpiece work was created during a brief artist residency in Tartu, shortly before the opening.
Denys Kulikov is a visual artist working across illustration, painting, collage and sculpture, exploring corporeality and the human relationship with the plant world through medieval-inspired imagery and mystical, enigmatic forms.
"I'm My Own Executioner and Lunch" will remain open at Kett Gallery through October 18.
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Editor: Kaspar Viilup, Aili Vahtla
