Figuratism in art has long moved on from its naturalist roots. Today, more and more contemporary artists show interest in the genre because of its potential to show emotions and intimacy on a profound level. Maryna Yukish, a Ukrainian artist, has chosen portraiture as her preferred form of expression, which could not be more fitting. It seems that there is no better genre to explore the contemporary issues of beauty standards, gender roles, and sexuality. Maryna Yukish creates psychological portraits of women in various fictionalized situations, highlighting various facets of modern female identity.
Sensual Female Portraits by the Ukrainian Artist Maryna Yukish
From a very young age, the Ukrainian artist Maryna Yukish knew she wanted to be an artist. However, she did not become a full-time professional artist until after she had received degrees in fashion design and art education and worked in the fashion industry for a decade. In 2014, she realized that painting was her life’s passion and fully dedicated herself to her craft.
Maryna Yukish paints in broad and colorful strokes, which reflects the openness and bravery with which she approaches the subject of her works. Most of the artist’s paintings feature women, with many of them being bare-chested. To her, this part of the female body is not only something worthy of reverence and admiration but also something that completes the portrait of any woman.
Yukish is a free and unashamed investigator of what it means to be a woman in the modern world. While much of her work is overtly sexual, it is also just as allegorical. The direct references to human sexuality neighbor with tongue-in-cheek references to modern-day culture and psychological concepts.
Maryna Yukish’s approach to exhibiting her work is exceedingly immersive. She says that with her 2021 solo show, “Sexhibition,” she aimed to engage the audience by stimulating their sense of vision, hearing, smell, and taste. Along with her paintings, the artist presented an original perfume line, with relaxing music playing in the background and delicious finger foods served to visitors.
While Maryna Yukish has struggled with promoting her work online due to censorship limitations, she is still dedicated to staying true to her original concept. She is an extremely driven and prolific Ukrainian artist who will undoubtedly continue to surprise the world with her unique artistic vision.