A special exhibition will open at the Kyiv railway station on September 15
Ukrainian mythology is a topic that often remains in the shadows, giving way to ancient Greek or Scandinavian gods. But artist Iryna ISky, who combined military service and creativity, decided to change that. She created a unique exhibition that not only introduces authentic characters, but also gives them a new, modern breath. This is a project about strength, acceptance and inspiration, where each myth is intertwined with our realities, becoming a source of energy and self-knowledge.
Iryna, how did the idea and concept of the exhibition come about?
Iryna ISKY Let's start with an idea that has been with me for two years. It's very simple: when you see that something is missing, you either create it yourself or wait for someone else to do it. I decided not to wait. Our world is inspired by Egyptian, Scandinavian mythology, but almost nowhere is our own, very cool mythology mentioned. There is no modern content on this topic. I wanted to inspire people, to give an impetus to the fight. Remember, at the beginning of the invasion there was a boom in embroidered shirts? It gave us a powerful energy to understand what we were fighting for. This impulse is now gradually subsiding, and I wanted to raise a topic that, in my opinion, is one of the most hidden and least studied.
This exhibition, which will open on September 15 at the Kyiv Railway Station, will include historical references that folklorists and historians helped me find. That is, people will be able to glean reliable facts about the deities and characters we want to tell about. And also see my own interpretation of each image. The paintings are already painted based on photographs, and each of them has a power that helps to overcome certain difficulties. For example, the image of death, which often causes fear, for me is about acceptance and release. It reminds me that souls ascend to heaven and we can communicate with them by looking at the stars.
In total, the exhibition will feature 12 costumes (two, unfortunately, burned down), 14 paintings , and a video series that will set people up for a certain vibe. The video will also contain historical references to each image. And there will be another, very symbolic and important image that I believe should be in our heads, souls, and hearts — the image of Victory . Of course, such a goddess did not exist, but I believe that we deserve this symbol that we strive for.
How did your personal acquaintance with Ukrainian mythology happen?
Since childhood, I have loved stories about superheroes and comics. I always thought: what if such films were made about Ukrainian mythology? We see Superman, and it occurs to me: what cool characters we have! The same Veles in a sheepskin coat with horns is a powerful man whose strength lies in his love for animals. When I worked on “The Konotop Witch”, I delved even deeper into this topic, talking to historians. Yes, I learned that the Slavs did not have black magic and hell. All magic was aimed at preservation and health. Hell and black magic appeared along with Christianity. I fell in love with our ancestors – they were very intelligent people, pacifists by nature. We never attacked anyone, but always only defended ourselves. Later, I met folklorist Marina Senchylo . She told me how much money is spent on promoting something foreign, while we have our own, authentic, energy to draw from. I wanted to give society this source of energy to turn our fears into strength.
How do you manage to combine creativity with military service?
Honestly, if I had known two years ago how exhausting it would be, I probably wouldn’t have dared to take on this project. I use every free minute. For example, I embroidered the skirt for the image of Makosh right on the road, when we were driving away, or while waiting. I always carry a suitcase with me, where I have both paints and threads. Our team often joked that there was always an easel or some colored fabric sticking out of our pickup truck. Any opportunity, when my hands are not busy, I occupy them with creativity.
The train station is an unusual place for exhibitions, but it is the first place to welcome foreign guests to the capital, and the number of people who visit there is many times greater than the number of people who visit exhibition halls and galleries.
You very accurately said that not everyone goes to galleries and museums. And my goal is to give impetus to as many people as possible, to bring art closer to them. The train station is a place that unites not only people, but also the entire country. It is symbolic that we are opening the doors to art, making it accessible to everyone, because the exhibition is charitable and free. When I entered the Red Hall of the train station, I realized that this was an ideal place. It is monumental, with majestic columns. Even some of the landscapes on the ceiling are very similar to the locations where we filmed the characters. The project was filmed in recognizable places so that people could go there and feel the presence of the spirit of our ancestors.
Do you have a favorite image and stories associated with its creation?
I can talk about this for hours, because each character helped me accept certain traumas and fears. For example, the image of Fate was embodied by volunteer Khrystya Hranovska . For me , Fate is not about fate, but about choice. Khrystya wanted her costume to be made of expensive materials, because she dreams of “Ukrainians having a rich fate.” And we granted this request. But the night before the shooting, Khrystya wrote to me: “You know, the costume looks expensive, but it has no soul, so I will wear the one that was offered initially.” And here I am at midnight urgently ironing the first version of the costume, which had already been put aside somewhere… But in the end, I believe that it was the right choice. It was a lesson, because the right choice is not always easy.
Each image was embodied by a person who corresponds to certain of his qualities. Svarog is personified by Sasha Teren . My Svarog is a blacksmith who forges his life further, it is a tribute to the military who lost their limbs. On his costume are ten iron tokens with the names of the Heroes of Ukraine, from the first woman to the oldest man. The image of Victory is personified by Tata Kepler – the very Such people are true ambassadors of victory, because they work tirelessly and persistently to bring it closer. Mara is played by producer Ira Kostyuk . This is about successful women who are said to be “lucky,” but do not know what is behind this “luck.” Moreover, they, like Mara, are feared. Simargl (the messenger of heaven and earth) is played by Alina Mikhailova . This is the spirit of sprouts that breaks through the system. Alina saves the lives of soldiers and tries to implement changes. The image of Death is played by servicewoman Katya Rotarenko , who is engaged in the search and identification of remains, and the image of the Mermaid is played by Olena Rozhkova . We showed a unique version of the mermaid, who, according to the version, did not have a tail, but guarded green rye and loved to have fun. Her strength lies in the joy that is so important for us to feel now. Makosh is played by Irina Nikorak . My Makosh is about female solidarity, about those who help others and become a single collective force. Perun (the power of anger) is embodied by a warrior. It is about rage that turns into action, not just destructive anger. Veles is Perun's antagonist, his power is in love. He stands at dawn, sniffing a flower, but if the enemy causes harm, he will send the whole herd at him. This symbolizes collective energy. The image of the Witch in my exhibition is about knowledge . Knowledge is power. People are usually afraid of what they don't understand. Knowledge gives peace and answers to the question “why is this happening?”. Knowledge is our power, and this is what this image symbolizes. We also have a very special character, who we took last, is Lada . Unfortunately, there is almost no reliable information about her. We depicted her as a pregnant woman, but Lada is not the woman herself, but what she is waiting for. It's about the power of patience. The image was embodied by Zlata Ognevich , because she is a Crimean, and it was important to me. It is a symbol of Crimea. We don't know what will happen next, but we are waiting for his return and, just like Lada, we are waiting for the future. The shooting took place against the background of the Motherland, but the task was to keep the sword out of the frame, because her weapon, like the history of Crimea, was taken away, and that's why she is waiting. Another important image is Dazhbog , a purely male character. He was embodied by Olya Navrotskaya . This is a reminder that all the achievements of feminism can be destroyed in one day. An example of this is the Taliban. We must remember the power of women's unity, because any of our efforts can be devalued. This is simply a reminder of the importance of unity.
How difficult was it to assemble such a vibrant cast of project ambassadors? How did this process happen and how long did it take?
We shot each image on different days, but the shooting process itself took us a maximum of 15 minutes . I had a clear vision of the result I wanted to achieve. I drew a sketch — and already knew what shot I needed. Therefore, there was no need to take a million shots. When I saw that it was “just the thing” — based on my feelings and the team’s reaction — I understood that nothing more was needed. I would like to separately note the work of the masters who made the masks and wigs. These are Nazar Nevsky and Alexandra Bessedkina . We met them while working on “The Konotop Witch,” and I “pulled” them into this adventure. Nazar and Alexandra discovered many talents in themselves: for example, they were able to make a Simargl mask in the form of a dog’s head from improvised materials. And Perun’s mask reflects every wrinkle and scar from lightning, symbolizing experience that leaves marks. They coped with this task brilliantly.
Irina , have you personally seen yourself in any of these images?
This is a very interesting question. At different times, I saw myself differently, but in reality I felt my inner little Irynka in all this. I am very grateful to her for doing this project. You know, when we were children, we drew purple giraffes with wings, without thinking about how to do it right. We just did what we liked. And I am very grateful to my inner child, who did not expect that she was so strong. I have always been self-critical, but my inner Irochka made me understand how strong I am and taught me to value myself.
Come to the exhibition to reboot and see what can heal you. I am very grateful for the support. There was almost no support in this project, only great resistance. But this experience made me understand strength. In Ukraine, it seems to me that we do not value things made from simple materials, but only those that have a beautiful story about the “unicorn stone”. When you say that this “diamond” is made from materials that we see every day under our feet, we do not value it. I really want every Ukrainian to value themselves, and then we will raise our national self-esteem. I dream of a Ukrainian Marvel. This war showed the strength of Ukrainians. When you compare our country with others, you understand that there is no other country that would have fought with Russia for so long and at the same time developed, had the latest technologies and created innovative stories. There are no such countries.
