Irina Barko

2024

Oil and acrylic on canvas

40 x 40 cm 

This work is the result of a reflection on the fragmentation of contemporary consciousness, where the human being exists simultaneously across different roles, states, and information flows. The faces are hidden because identity is no longer reduced to a single image; it is constructed from cultural symbols, gestures, and objects of everyday life. The newspaper, books, the telephone, and toy-like shapes become signs of memory, knowledge, communication, and play—all intertwined into a single visual noise.

Bright, naive elements contrast with realistic fragments of the body, highlighting the rift between inner experience and the external world. The composition seeks to convey a sense of information pressure and the constant presence of external meanings. In this work, chaos is presented as the natural environment of the contemporary human being. The piece explores the attempt to preserve inner integrity while inhabiting a multilayered and pulsating reality.

Irina Barko

2024

Oil and acrylic on canvas

40 x 40 cm 

The painting explores the acceptance of both oneself and others. In this work, the young woman does not struggle against chaos; instead, she wraps it in a tender embrace, as if cradling something deeply personal and fragile. Yet, a lingering question remains: is she embracing her own inner world, or the universe of another?

The multicolored shapes remind us that, to those around us, we often appear as a collection of incomprehensible and fragmented details. And yet, it is precisely tenderness, love, and kindness that can unite these fragments into a coherent whole. The candy appears as a symbol of childlike sincerity and simple joy—a silent reminder that sweet embraces are, ultimately, stronger than chaos.

Irina Barko

2024

Oil and acrylic on canvas

80 x 80 cm 

I paint life as an abstraction filled with colors and forms. On the canvas, a world in chaos unfolds, where the tumultuous dance of hues and shapes seems to defy gravity itself. Amidst these abstract figures, I highlight female forms as an oasis of calm, peace, and tranquility in the eye of the storm. The canvas is full of contrasts: harmony against entanglement, stillness against noise. I use female portraits to represent the beauty of serenity in the midst of a chaotic world.

Irina Barko

2024

Oil and acrylic on canvas

40 x 40 cm 

This work explores the sense of comfort, security, and emotional balance, where childlike sincerity and adult consciousness coexist without conflict. The piece conveys a state of inner calm and confidence. The figure of the protagonist symbolizes acceptance and gentle strength.

The fox mask becomes a metaphor for the boundary between the outside world and one's personal space. The bright, naive forms surrounding her represent a flow of thoughts and feelings in which chaos is transformed into harmony. The work combines realism and symbolism, inviting the viewer toward a personal interpretation.

Irina Barko

2024

Oil and acrylic on canvas

80 x 80 cm 

I paint life as an abstraction filled with colors and shapes. On the canvas, a world in chaos unfolds, where a tumultuous dance of hues and forms seems to defy gravity itself. Amidst these abstract figures, I highlight female forms as an oasis of calm, peace, and tranquility in the eye of the storm. The canvas is a play of contrasts: harmony against entanglement, stillness against noise. I use female portraits to represent the beauty of serenity in the midst of a chaotic world.

Irina Barko

2025

Oil and acrylic on canvas

30 x 40 cm 

This work speaks of the fragile stillness within the human being, where vulnerability is transformed into strength and solitude becomes a form of dialogue with the world. The frogs here are not merely images, but guardians of feelings—symbols of intuition, renewal, and a subtle connection to the wisdom of nature. The protagonist's gaze seems to ask the viewer whether we know how to delicately care for our own inner truth.

The contrast between naive forms and realism serves as a metaphor for the simultaneous coexistence of childhood and maturity. This piece is about self-acceptance—embracing the quirks, fears, and silent hopes that we rarely voice aloud.