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Art is the lot of people for whom everyday reality is not enough. They draw inspiration from simple things, turning them into paintings, literature, and other creations worthy of public exhibition. Anastasia Yanchuk is an artist whose work attracts the eyes and evokes joy.
Anastasia participated in various art events and exhibitions across Europe, including Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, and Monaco, as well as the US and the UAE. The artist collaborates with the PassepARTout Unconventional Gallery in Milan and with TABLINUM Cultural Management in Bellagio, Italy.
In the summer of 2023, her first personal semi-closed exhibition was held on Lake Como. We spoke to Anastasia about how she achieved such success, and how she maintains her inner spark in this interview.
Hello Anastasia! How did you come to art? Why did you choose painting as your life’s work?
Good afternoon! You know, art has always been present in my life. I would even say it’s part of my life, part of me. How did I come to this as a calling? Every person has had certain talents since childhood. However, when we’re young they manifest themselves in an unconscious way. We cannot always see in our childhood hobbies the makings of professional success. For example, I really liked to draw. Of course, I drove my parents crazy by painting on the walls. But that was how I expressed myself, and when I reached a more self-aware age, I realized that I was drawn to art.
I enrolled as an interior designer, and the learning process was very exciting for me. I felt vindicated in my choice to connect my life with art. After graduation, I moved to Italy. Due to certain circumstances, I had a short break from art. But I never for a moment thought about giving up, because art runs like a red thread through my whole life. This is theater, music, dancing, and painting.
And so in 2020, I returned to painting. I approached this matter very seriously, very professionally: I participated in exhibitions, art festivals in New York, Dubai, received awards in the field of painting, and my works were covered in well-known magazines.
Your works are filled with bright colors and unusual materials, what style do you focus on?
I work in the style of realism. There are other directions, for example, pop art, that I draw inspiration from. As a result, my work can be described as realistic, using modern technologies, tools, and materials. Very often, my works are the result of a mixed technique, where I use potal, mosaics of mirrors, fabrics, Swarovski crystals, acrylic paints… It can be any materials that come to my head. I don’t just paint, I create portraits and landscapes using modern materials that support the style of realistic painting.
It can be said that my works acquire a 3D effect, because all of the accessories listed above allow the painting to go beyond the canvas. They occupy physical space, and in order to fully appreciate these paintings, they need to be viewed from different angles.
Why do you think your clients order work from you? What values do your paintings reflect?
I have two types of work, the first are seascapes. Very often people buy them because they evoke pleasant memories: they remind them of vacations, travel, or a honeymoon. Landscapes make people feel as if they have returned to a place where they felt good. I don’t usually paint anything to order, but seascapes are an exception. This is what people order from me with an enviable frequency. But there are so many landscapes that inspire me! So people feel my sincerity. After all, I love the sea myself, and I love to travel. Apparently, I am particularly good at conveying the emotion of the sea in my work.
My other type of painting is portraits of women. They are an expression of two of my ideas. Firstly, I believe that true beauty lies in individuality. All women are beautiful in their own way: dark-skinned, light–skinned, mixed-race, narrow eyes, large eyes– though all very different, each of them has a personality.
It is very easy to remake yourself, to adjust your unique features to any standard of beauty that changes once a year. Striving for the same eye shape, nose, lips, cheekbones and so on. Until all women risk becoming clones of one other. But, I am sure that it is necessary, on the contrary, to emphasize your individuality. There are clients who buy my portraits precisely because they were attracted to the uniqueness of the female features. They are tired of beauty patterns and imposed standards.
The second idea conveyed by my paintings is to remind all representatives of the fairer sex that we are girls – gentle, beautiful, and feminine. After all, running around in everyday life the last thing we often think about is how we look, whether we put on makeup today, what kind of outfit we put on.
Women’s beauty and energy simply fades into the background after children, husbands, work, and other worries. My paintings are a reminder that you should not forget about your beauty. You need to draw it out, and not be afraid to show it. There is some hidden meaning in this. I don’t know how it is in other countries, but living in Italy violence against women is an urgent problem in society.
On the canvas, I reflect that a woman should not be afraid to show her femininity just because her partner has problems with his mentality which cause him to be abusive. A woman should not suppress her energy so as not to stand out from the crowd. But that is why, unfortunately, she can become a victim of certain circumstances.
Did I understand correctly, this direction is called Modern Woman?
Yes, you can say that. Modern Woman – as the embodiment of a socially active woman who defends her rights and knows how to build personal boundaries in communication.
I have a series of paintings that fully reveal the unique features of a modern woman.
Anastasia, have you had any experience in creating paintings for NFT’s? What do you think the future holds for NFT’s?
I am considering this niche for myself. I’m interested in it. In my experience, there have already been requests along those lines. And I also hold the opinion that art has no boundaries. It can be presented in any form. Art has always evolved and developed: it has gone through various stages from the cave paintings of primitive art, through the art of ancient civilizations (where the foundations of modern art were laid), through the art of the Middle Ages, all the way to the art of the Renaissance and up through modern creative expression. From wall paintings, to frescoes, to mosaics, to paintings, to photography. And now many of these art forms exist on par with the others.
Both NFT’s and digital art are natural developments that are taking place. In this world, everything is changing and we, artists, are also moving in tandem with the development of technology.
Another thing is that these are completely different types of art, they do not replace one other. The taste and preferences of every connoisseur of beauty play an important role here. But, on the other hand, imagine that you turn off your laptop, sit down on the sofa and in front of you is a picture. You are resting, admiring her. You are filled with thoughts and memories.
I recently signed up for a course on NFT’s so I can study this new direction for myself. You need to keep your finger on the pulse, to track trends. In art, this is important.
Tell us more about the presentation of the book at the MET (NY). We know that you plan to be there. Will you act as a speaker or participant in the event?
There are several large publishers in Italy that publish very important art books, collections, and catalogs once a year. One of them is Atlante dell’Arte Contemporanea. In fact, this is the oldest annual book (since 1940), which is a privileged reference for gallery owners and collectors. They publish articles covering famous artists of the last 60-80 years. And I was lucky enough to have a place on the pages of this collection.
This will be my second experience being published by Atlante dell’Arte Contemporanea, I was first celebrated back in 2021. And, of course, I plan to attend the presentation, which will be held at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. It’s truly an honor and a great joy for me.
Do I understand correctly that this collection includes the best of the best representatives of art?
Yes, you could say that. Italy is a country that is saturated with art. Leading professionals of their field are gathered there. And the attitude to culture and art is very reverential. Therefore, the publishing of such books and collections is approached very seriously, with great responsibility.
And the fact that its presentation will take place at the MET, one of the largest art museums in the world (and also the 4th most visited) already says a lot.
And what merits should an artist have in order to get into this book?
In my opinion, those who are developing constantly, actively manifesting themselves, and receiving prizes and awards are selected for publication; those whose works stand out from the rest due to some special technique, execution, or choice of materials.
There are many artists who claim that they like to paint, however, after selling several paintings they’re off the radar. There is no permanence.
But there are also those who dig deeper. They live the process of creating a piece. They study the art world, how it works. They attend exhibitions and fairs. They live by art. They create true masterpieces.
Paintings for them are not just about putting something on a canvas for show. This is self-expression, the manifestation of emotion, and, in the end, life. They know how to generate interest and bring art to the masses. I believe that on the basis of all these factors, critics identify talent and choose artists for publications on this level.
You and your artworks have been awarded various prizes. Please tell us more about the awards you have received.
Less than three years into my professional career and I’ve been lucky that my works have been awarded many national and international prizes. I was a recipient of the Premio Artista d’Italia, a finalist for The Global Art Awards 2021|Tokyo Edition, a winner at the Premio NFT Biancoscuro Art Contest and the Premio Icon Art 2021: Premio Art & Investment Contest.
And already in September 2023, I have received two awards.
In Italy, there is an art organization, Biancoscuro, which publishes an art magazine, and also organizes art competitions. Artists from different countries take part in these competitions.
Last year, one of my works won the NFT nomination. And this year I was chosen as a nominee for the award “Biancoscuro Art Exhibition – Castello di Belgioioso”. The award ceremony was held on September 16, 2023.
And on September 23, I was awarded the Oscar Della Creatività.
I am glad that my works are not only positive in intention, but are also seen as a contribution to art in general.
And what are your plans for the near future?
I would like to develop my artistic presence beyond Italy and European countries and enter the art markets of the USA and China (my first step in this direction is to participate online in the Shanghai International Art Fair 2023). Art has no boundaries! I want to share something good and positive through my work, continue to develop, and declare myself everywhere!
