Olha Vasyshcheva

You started your career in digital technology and graphic design. How did this background influence your transition into painting?

It gave me an understanding of the clarity and structure of digital systems, the importance of error analysis, and extensive experience in illustrative graphics. At the same time, it showed me how valuable a mistake can be in a well-organized system: sometimes a glitch or an accident sparks the creation of a new technology, a new direction, or even a new masterpiece.

In 2020 you received a formal art education. What was the most important lesson you learned during your studies?

I realized that drawing follows strict rules and does not forgive mistakes, whereas painting embodies all your inner impulses and aspirations—it is the artist’s song, a reflection of their inner world.

Moving to France seems to have played a significant role in your work. How did the landscapes and atmosphere of France shape your artistic vision?

I love the authentic, cozy seaside towns of France, the clusters of houses with tiled roofs, the gentle azure sea and palm trees, the white masts of boats swaying in the harbor—everything reminds me of my native Crimea, from where I moved. In addition, I worked in France as a landscape designer, so my knowledge of plants and love of nature help me express on canvas my admiration for harmony and beauty in nature and in life around us.

We live in a time when awareness declines, when there is a shift from deep reflection to simplification of forms and feelings, to primitivism and superficial thinking—from spiritual values to material ones. Hence comes the pursuit of hedonism, the reckless attitude toward ecology, and human isolation. Yet, as Thales said, we are all one. We are all children of Mother Earth, a living self-regulating organism according to James Lovelock’s theory. We are all sailing in the same “ark.” That is why I am drawn to themes that critique the Anthropocene, explore ecology, the role of women, self-knowledge, and self-realization.

Your manifesto focuses on “freedom from networks.” What personal experiences inspired this theme?

We live in a digital age where social networks increasingly take over our lives. I see how the younger generation becomes addicted to gadgets and how the time for live, direct contact between people shrinks. I love to communicate offline, to look into a person’s eyes and feel their presence. It is painful to realize that we are losing this living connection. Therefore my angel, with an anxious, questioning gaze, calls God from a canvas set against the skyscrapers of a modern city.

How do you balance between criticizing digital hyperrealism and using modern digital tools in your own creative process?

Artificial intelligence has firmly entered our lives—this must be acknowledged. I also use AI in my practice. But I call for maintaining a balance between artificial intelligence and your own creative thinking, which must be developed. No intelligence can replace my vision, my expression, my experiences, reflections, metaphors, and associations that I pour onto the canvas. Yes, AI can be trained in your style and manner, but you should rely only on your own mind and life principles. Many of your works feature metaphors and references. Could you describe your process of choosing symbols for your paintings? Symbols and metaphors emerge unconsciously—from the subconscious, from experience—during the process of embedding meaning. Later I consider how justified their use is in the painting, how they connect with the concept, and whether they can deepen the meaning or emphasize the problem. In my painting Attraction of Energies there is a reference to the Polish artist Karol Bak and a metaphor of Earth’s energy, warming, protecting, and reflecting with warm highlights on the girl’s face.

Your works combine oil, acrylic, and textured paste. How do you decide which material or texture to use for a particular painting?

I paint in the technique of realistic impressionism with elements of metamodernism, using oil paints on canvas. I contrast the transparency, smoothness, depth, and colorfulness of shadows with the rich impasto and strength of highlights. When it is necessary to emphasize fluidity, lightness, or the three-dimensionality of a composition, to intensify the impression or convey an image, I use texture paste and acrylic paints. I engage in dialogue with the viewer through the eternal themes of love and kindness, so that, as Boris Groys proclaimed, through transforming our environment and changing our behavior we can change the world for the better. After all, we are all responsible not only for our own lives but also for the lives of future generations.