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.