Reality, Artwork, portrait Painting

Kateryna Kostelna, 23 years old, was born in Lviv, Ukraine. “There’s a strange combination of a graphic artist and a painter in me. I paint canvases as if they were graphics, and this is my focus, which captivates the viewer.” Kateryna Kostelna portrays images of women in her paintings, reminiscent of masses of clay flowing into abstract forms. Through this approach, she explores the theme of the female image in contemporary society. The artist reinterprets beauty standards and societal expectations of the body, contrasting them with figures that transcend mere physical form, embodying individuality and personality. Her works often feature abstract elements surrounding the figures, as if adorning them. This highlights the idea that skin and form are only the surface, concealing something deeper and more profound beneath. Kateryna's art is deeply influenced by her experiences and education. Her studies in textiles, where she explored Ukrainian ethnics through carpet patterns, cultivated a strong sense of color and composition. The graphic quality of her painting is a result of her training in book illustration, where she studied engraving and traditional printing techniques. These influences are vividly reflected in her work.