Another life. Personal exhibition by artist Ola Rondiak

Another Life explores the cyclical nature of life during war. The destruction that breaks us down and the wells from which we draw strength to hold us up. The pain that tears us apart and the faith that unites us.

As you travel through the rooms of the exhibition, the artist invites you to explore themes of after life, lost life, past life and war life. We pray to live another day, another night. Believing in what’s beyond, the after life. Our loved ones taken from us. Another death, another life lost. Our ancestorsʼ stories and experiences that paved the way, another lifetime ago.
Another explosion. Another shelter. Another blackout. Another reality. Another life.

The artist reintroduces fabric, a foundational material from her early work, into this new exhibition. The threads that tie the past and present together weave the artist’s historical recollection with her modern day lived experience.
The use of burlap, embroidery, and beadwork, symbolically connect the works to the artistʼs personal family history, while simultaneously paying homage to the mediums and techniques of traditional Ukrainian folk art. The reimagined minimalism of the Motankaʼs ancient form reflects our constantly evolving fight for existence; the survival of the talisman signifies the perseverance of our people.
The black backdrops symbolize emptiness, loss and the unknown. Each piece is tied to an emotion relating to the intensity of warʼs impact on the human psyche. Inverted, the stark contrast of the dark charcoal drawings on white paper emphasize the
rawness of extreme emotions experienced on a daily basis.

Rondiakʼs works in this exhibition ask the questions:
What has reality become for us?
Where can we seek the strength to pull through?
How is the war affecting our collective consciousness?

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