Uliana Novak was interviewed for the fourth (and final) edition of the Contrast publication. You can find the online exhibition version of the publication here.
You described yourself as a self-taught artist with a background in sociology. How did you experience your transition from academia to the art world?
Leaving academia was not a sudden decision—it happened gradually over a number of years. In general, life as a researcher in academia was intellectually stimulating, but I always felt as though something was missing: freedom and creativity. When I joined an art studio in Helsinki in 2020, I realised that painting allowed me to express myself in a new way which unlocked a sense of freedom within me that I had long been searching for. The full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022 was a pivotal moment in my transition. That profoundly personal and shocking experience greatly affected my life, and I was left no longer able to interpret or describe the world around me through the familiar language of sociology and research which I had become accustomed to. I needed a new language to communicate with the world—and art became that language. So, while the transition from academia to the art world wasn’t easy, it was necessary and even vital for me at that moment. I am particularly grateful to the renowned Russian artist Andrey Bilzho, to whom I sent few my early works. His positive feedback and encouragement gave me the confidence to pursue art more seriously.
How has living in Finland influenced your artistic practice or perspective?
A central theme that unites all of my artworks is the reimagining of world-class masterpieces, which I reinterpret through a contemporary lens. I often draw from the artworks of artists from two countries that are important to me and that I know well, these include: Russia—the country where I was born and lived for half of my life—and Finland, where I currently live and whose history and culture I have come to cherish and continue to study. In my artworks, I make reference to iconic works from art that was born and created in these two countries, using them as a foundation to explore present-day issues that matter to me. Through this dialogue between past and present, and between the two cultures I belong to, I’m able to reflect on both personal and collective experiences.
Do you see your paintings as offering solutions, raising questions or simply just reflecting the modern world as it stands today?
In my artworks, I express my personal reflections, attitudes, and perspective on the world. I hope to be able to show people how various problems can be viewed and understood from multiple perspectives.
Since starting painting; has your understanding of yourself changed through painting and if so how?
First and foremost, art and creativity have helped me to broaden my horizons. By engaging with the works of both old masters and contemporary artists, I have begun to see things I previously hadn’t noticed. Studying art history has given me a new and fresh perspective on the world, awakening me to new ideas. Painting has become a lens which has taken me back in time and allowed me to reflect meaningfully on the histories of the countries where I have lived. At the same time, with these reflections, art has allowed me to express emotions that often can be challenging to articulate in words.
Art has also played a crucial role in helping me to explore my own identity and experiences. I am not naturally the most socially active person, but through painting, I have been able to emerge from my inner and secluded world and have begun to communicate with people more.
I now feel a part of the wider human community, engaged, concerned and actively responding to what is going on in the world. Through my work, I try to process these things and pour them onto the canvas, showing others how I see the world, sharing my perspective, so that they can see what concerns me and how I express it.
What reactions or interpretations of your work have surprised you the most? Can you share the reaction?
Since 2023, I have dedicated myself to creating art, spending two years primarily painting and expanding my body of work. Until now, I have rarely shown them to others, but now I feel that the time has come to share them with others.
What is your process in blending the past and the present into your paintings? How do you conceptualise this before starting on the painting?
The present so quickly turns into the past that the boundary between the two often feels blurred. For me, the past holds a deep personal significance, which constantly draws me in. Paintings from the past, those created many years or centuries ago, can still be relevant and fit into today’s modern context. History and the art of the past can provide us with profound insight into a wide range of subjects, helping us to understand the present and the people who live in it, revealing timeless truths about human nature, society, and culture.
Where do you see your artistic practice in the next ten years? Do you have any projects you’d like to share.
I don’t look that far ahead. The world changes every week, every day. I don’t make plans. I am interested in living for today.