⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀My teacher told me: “If you may not write, do not write”. Of course, the words of a classic might sound pathetic and trivial from the lips of another person, but not from the lips of Vladimir Prokhorov. The somewhat strict, pathologically honest, absolutely brilliant teacher rewarded his students with several simple and comprehensive definitions of very difficult things. I am only now beginning to understand the meaning of many of them. "“If you may not write, do not write”! I CAN'T! It seems to me that this is where the vocation begins." This vocation - art - makes the young artist Yulia Skrypka happy. She calls her paintings "states that she had to experience". Her works echo the emotions of many viewers. At least, this was evident at Yulia Skrypka's exhibition Deadline, held at the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko. The artist's paintings are interesting and unique. They are alluring not only because of the ancient technique of levkas, in which they were created, but also because of their original images. They are frank and at the same time shrouded in mystery. Read about the magic of life and the "magic" of art in the interview with Yulia Skrypka.
- I've heard from artists (young and venerable) that it's quite difficult to enter the Ukrainian art market... - To be honest, art and "its promotion" are absolutely incompatible. Especially incompatible in one person. Promotion presupposes a fairly clear radar that detects "current" trends. It doesn't matter whether we are talking about themes or more brutal brushwork, or the corresponding ability to complete or partial mimicry. In this way, "art" inevitably loses its frankness and spontaneity, which is what makes art art. That's why the conclusion of sale and purchase agreements is mostly the prerogative of another exquisite profession, the impresario. It's hard to do without him, because even setting up a pricing policy is a thankless task, given the need to feed yourself, preserve your image, and your own doubts and worries (which no one should know about).
- How did you manage to organize the exhibition at the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko?- Personally, I was lucky. Very often I meet people who need my help, and I also feel the need to do something for them. It was easy to organize the exhibition at the National Taras Shevchenko Museum and it was fantastic fast. The museum had free time and space, and I had my works and my guardian angel, Halyna Andreieva (deputy director of the Children's Art School No. 5). She introduced my works to the administration. The administration was interested in them.
- Some people might think that everything comes easy to you. But in fact, the sacred art you studied, the levkas in which you work, is a complex and deep world... What attracts you to it?
- Sacred art is actually a giant cross. It's probably not for me, at least not yet. In true sacred art, aesthetics essentially gives way to prayer, faith, repentance... That is, to things that are much more complex and responsible than just art. And combining worldly existence with truly sacred work is a very difficult thing. After all, as Jorge Luis Borges wrote, referring to the apocryphal Gospel: "The gate chooses, the one who enters is not a person." At the same time, what could be more beautiful than an icon? And the brutal asceticism in the means of expression, the determinant of poses, clothes, the limit of subjects, and the clear symbolism of color did not prevent the emergence of real masterpieces. Or maybe, on the contrary, all of this turned into a magical sieve, dense and strong, which retained the most important thing, allowing everything empty and superfluous to go into oblivion, retained the essence. That's why those iconographic images, lines and shapes return to me, because they are perfect for me.
-Does academic knowledge help you personally or does it still lead you to certain limits?
- I'm sure it helps. And some people lack it. In any case, if a person is destined to fly, no school or upbringing can stop this flight.
- Levkas is a "magical" technique. What do you see as "magical" in art? - Despite its mission in the context of iconography, levkas, in general, as a technique, is a bottomless well of inspiration and a variety of technical possibilities. Just think about the ability to easily (with the help of an electric jigsaw) get rid of the right angle in your work, which is where we are always, if you think about it. The pavlova that is glued to the board can also affect the texture and image. And if you surrender to the process, allow yourself to be led, I think you get really interesting things... as if they are not out of your hands. Levkas and its composition (animal glue and chalk - essentially calcium) resemble bones, and this is also symbolic. Multilayering means a wide range of volumes and textures, which also sometimes arise by themselves. The main thing here is not to interfere.
- Yulia, have you ever come across a painting whose "magic" you felt in full?- There are too many such paintings. They are not united by time, style, or genre. Everything trembles and twists inside you equally from Brueghel's Peasant Tank and Filonov's Beast (Wolf), and from the wet Lviv landscapes of our famous Savchenko. You manage to fall in love and break up, and feel heartbreaking sadness in an instant.
- I wonder if you believe in "art therapy"? In such a difficult time, this concept is becoming more and more popular...- My mom has a master's degree in psychology. So I believe in the effectiveness of many concepts. The main thing is that such delicate and fragile zones as consciousness and the human soul should be touched by real professionals, and humane people in general. Personally, I escape to the music of Goran Bregovic and films with Pierre Richard.
- The images you create on your canvases are complex, interesting and specific. What precedes their appearance?- "Everything... Dreams, fragrances, funny and sad stories, the sea, old photographs and vinyls, gutted watches and cast-iron irons... The less I think about it, the better.  - Probably, it is in these "inspirations" that you see the beauty...- Perhaps it's easier to describe those things in which I don't see beauty. If you tune in in a certain way, it becomes absolutely clear that this world was created by an artist much more talented than all of us. Starting with a small living cell, the transparent, shining skin of newborns, and ending with the magical crackle of wrinkles. Many of us are able to reproduce certain things. The best ones are lucky enough to transfer a state and real feelings.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is how we talked about art and beauty while walking down a beautiful cozy street in Kyiv. Summer was painting its pictures with hot colors. Yulia admitted that she had already started a series of city streets. "Who knows, maybe one day at some exhibition I'll pause near the canvas - the street where I talked to the artist, where we shared our dreams.