Apple snow (2024) Painting by Natasha Zhukova

The idea for this work arose one winter evening when I was looking at the falling snow in the darkness of an empty street in a new city. My soul was shrouded in expectations and anticipation of something magical, but at the same time it was pierced by a ringing loneliness and a chill of anxiety. A month later, when nature came to life in snow-white blooms and the snow melted like smoke, I finished this work. In the bottom layer is a collage that combines texts in two languages: Serbian and Russian, small pieces from my old and new life, tickets from the exhibition, a bread wrapper from a local bakery, a page from a book. The relief and color of the work convey a borderline feeling: either a snow whirlwind, or spring blossoms, or sadness, or a joyful awakening. The poems of the Serbian poetess Desanka Maksimovic, translated into Russian by Anna Akhmatova, resonated with me with the same emotions and inspired me as a combination of two cultures, two beautiful poetesses, two women's destinies.

"Зимним днем"
Снег тихо до самого вечера падал,
как яблони цвет.
О, я улетела б с такою отрадой
сквозь дали пространства и лет;
куда-то меж снежными лепестками,
как легкий летит мотылек,
кого-то утешить такими словами,
какие другим невдомек.

И в сумерках снег так же медленно падал,
усталый, густой.
Мне встретить кого-то
такая отрада...
Ни тени в долине пустой!
И ночью весь мир словно в белых тенетах,
снежинки ложатся у ног.
Как больно следить беспрерывный полет их,
когда человек одинок.

Desanka Maksimovic
translation by Anna Akhmatova.

Related themes

SnowFlowerExpressionEncausticpaintingEncaustic