The painting «Dreams of a Free Ukraine» immerses the viewer in the dreams experienced by the depicted character,— the dreams of a homeland free from occupation and pressure. You can feel extreme calmness and silence provoked by the certainty that this dream will come true someday. The artwork was painted in 2022 as an author’s reflection on the time of military aggression against Ukraine.
Ukrainian artist Olena Papka was born in Lviv, one of the most visited cities in Ukraine.
Olena always wanted to find creativity that would make her eyes «burn», and she succeeded. Currently, she’s working in two styles — decorative realism and naive art. The artist primarily focuses on symbolic paintings: female images with ethnic motifs and ornaments.
«This is an endless variety of states and manifestations, from gentle and light to aggressive and powerful», — adds the artist. She hardly looks for inspiration because it comes from everyday life and, at the same time, beautiful things: flowers, styles of strangers, movies, and even coffee. It inspires and prompts her to create something unique and authentic.
In the spring of 2022, her artwork sold her painting «Courage» at the Forbes auction in Prague for 45 thousand dollars, and the money went to charity.