Anastasiia Dekhtiaruk

This world is full of limitations, and being a young artist in it is a constant challenge. As a young artist, I constantly feel the weight of expectations and doubts. Every step on the path to self-expression is accompanied by a quiet voice inside me, claiming that art is just a whim, a hobby that isn't worth the effort and time.

To support myself financially while I don't yet earn a living from my art, I started working as a florist. At first, I was captivated by the beauty of flowers—each bud and each petal became a symbol of the emotions I longed to convey through my art. But with 12-hour shifts, I began to feel the artist's fire within me slowly fading. Daily concerns drained my desire to create, leaving behind only a sense of losing myself. I cleaned every rose of its thorns, dreaming of something better and yearning to work with other flowers that would better reflect who I am. Roses became a symbol of my struggle—a struggle for the right to dream.

This art book embodies the idea that dreams are attained through thorns and hardships. But for me, this struggle is what makes them so valuable. Here, moments of pain are captured, but my heart continues to pulse with the rhythm of creativity, and with each new breath, I feel my dreams slowly growing into reality.

The photo and video project «Life in Lines» is an important testament to the lives of civilians during the war in Ukraine. This project promotes the idea of observing contrasts - from momentary happy moments to fear and anxiety. The project provides a unique look at the reality of people who continue to live, love and hope even in the most difficult conditions. A special emphasis on the drawings created together with my five-year-old brother adds warmth to the project, emphasizing the importance of family ties and hope.

"My Life in a White Frame" is a photographic project that captures the dramatic journey of Ukraine, which has experienced a destroyed past by the Soviet Union and is now facing a destroyed future due to Russia's war on Ukrainian territory.

The project visually depicts the history of Ukraine from the beginning in the 2000s, since my birth. My childhood photos show the consequences of the Soviet Union. The snapshots of today show the destruction of the cultural heritage and beauty of cities caused by Russia's actions.

The project is a reflection of my own childhood and youth, which was full of joy, dreams and innocence. However, the consequences of the Soviet Union and the current war are destroying my memories of the past and present. The child's face in the photographs becomes a symbol of the most vulnerable aspect of war - the fate of children who have lost their safety and happiness.

With this photo project, I emphasize the connection between the two eras, draw attention to the importance of preserving historical memory and strengthening one's national identity. I am trying to show that the past and the future are always intertwined, and our ability to understand this connection helps us create a more conscious and dignified future.