Alla Bartoshchuk's Dreamlike Paintings Explore Memory, Identity, and Resilience

Alla Bartoshchuk, an artist originally from Ukraine, showcases her latest series titled Where Worlds Touch, which consists of oil paintings exploring the intersection of imagination and reality. This collection delves into the emotional repercussions of cultural division and conflict, while also highlighting moments of connection and resilience. Residing in Southern California, Bartoshchuk merges classical realism with surreal symbolism, featuring recurring themes of layered figures, animals, birds, and elements of nature. Her artistic influences include dreams, mythology, personal memories, and contemporary global issues, deeply rooted in her Ukrainian background. After relocating to the U.S. in 2005, she obtained a BFA from Memphis College of Art and an MFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. Where Worlds Touch builds upon her previous series, In Between, addressing themes of rupture, belonging, and repair. Bartoshchuk views her practice as a means to interpret her subconscious, crafting compositions that allow for diverse interpretations. Her technique, noted for its seamless light and shadow transitions along with layered brushwork, imparts depth and presence to her figures, transforming personal narratives into a broader reflection on identity and cultural connections.