Hi Ocheredko Art Twins, Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko, what`s your routine at the moment?

With the start of the war, life changed drastically. Thanks to the help of friends, the director, and colleagues at BreakThru Films studio where we worked, we moved to Poland. From that moment on, we became even more demanding of ourselves: early wake-ups, language courses before work, studio work, part-time jobs after the studio, volunteer projects, creative work on graphics and painting, sports. War motivates us to track our desires, set priorities, and work to the fullest, to be honest and open. This openness is reflected in our work and communication with people.

After moving, it was very difficult to start drawing; for almost 9 months, we created nothing. Pain, like chains, held us back.

One day, we received carving tools and linoleum as a gift and an invitation to create works for the Body and Soul art journal from Corvinus Presse studio. This was a huge support and encouragement to create works, and we started drawing again. We keenly felt the value of those moments when we had the opportunity to create.

What`s now particularly important for all of us?

Feeling the value of every life, every moment, sincerity, and mutual assistance, we believe, are crucial now.

Sincerity with oneself and with others, a caring attitude towards life. Understanding that a house can be rebuilt, but life cannot be reproduced. War brings a lot of sorrow and death.

In such a challenging time, it is important to support cultural figures, artists, writers, musicians, scientists. They shape and preserve the culture of the nation.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

New start, new beginning. What will be essential and which roles will art play on society?

One of the main roles of culture is the preservation and transmission of the heritage of previous generations. Thanks to culture, we can learn about the history of our nation, discover its traditions and customs. Culture helps us see the connection with the past and analyze experiences for building the future.

Culture helps shape our identity, understand our place in the world, and strive for self-improvement. It contributes to the development of our intellect, emotional world, and interaction with others. Without culture, our lives would be devoid of meaning and value.

Culture forms the code of a nation, and in turn, helps preserve identity and unite people.

What are you reading currently?

In recent years, we have been reading both classical literature and works by contemporary authors. These include works by authors such as Lesya Ukrainka, Serhiy Zhadan, Lina Kostenko, Wladyslaw Reymont, Anton Popov, Andrzej Sapkowski, Donald Thompson, and Robert Kiyosaki.

Which quote, text will you propose to us?

No, I want to smile through tears and weeping.,

Sing my songs where evil holds its sway,

Hopeless, a steadfast hope forever keeping,

I want to live! You thoughts of grief, away!

All text

Lesya Ukrainka

«Contra spem spero»

Thoughts away, you heavy clouds of autumn!

For now springtime comes, agleam with gold!

Shall thus in grief and wailing for ill-fortune

All the tale of my young years be told?

No, I want to smile through tears and weeping.,

Sing my songs where evil holds its sway,

Hopeless, a steadfast hope forever keeping,

I want to live! You thoughts of grief, away!

On poor sad fallow land unused to tilling

I’ll sow blossoms, brilliant in hue,

I’ll sow blossoms where the frost lies, chilling,

I’ll pour bitter tears on them as due.

And those burning tears shall melt, dissolving

All that mighty crust of ice away.

Maybe blossoms will come up, unfolding

Singing springtime too for me, some day.

Up the flinty steep and craggy mountain

A weighty ponderous boulder I shall raise,

And bearing this dread burden, a resounding

Song I’ll sing, a song of joyous praise.

In the long dark ever-viewless night-time

Not one instant shall I close my eyes,

I’ll seek ever for the star to guide me,

She that reigns bright mistress of dark skies.

Yes, I’ll smile, indeed, through tears and weeping

Sing my songs where evil holds its sway,

Hopeless, a steadfast hope forever keeping,

I shall live! You thoughts of grief, away!

Thank you very much for the interview and your great art, dear Ocheredko Art Twins,
Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko, all the best for you in these days!

5 questions on artists:

Ocheredko Art Twins,
Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko,Ukrainian artists

Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko

We are Ukrainian artists, founders of the art duo OCHEREDKO ART TWINS.

We were born on May 12, 1985, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Currently, we reside in Gdansk, Poland, since March 6, 2022.

Since 2012, we have been members of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine.

Since 2007, we have presented 9 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 20 All-Ukrainian and 30 international painting and graphics competitions and exhibitions in Europe, China, the USA, Australia, and Cyprus.

In 2020, for a series of graphic works, we received the „Silver Key Honor Award“ from the Cyprus Museum of Modern Art.

From 2012 to 2018, both of us worked on mosaic compositions for the Transfiguration Cathedral in Kyiv. For this work, we received an award from the Metropolitan of Kyiv and all of Ukraine, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Vladimir.

From 2016 to 2023, we both worked as artist-animators on animated films such as „Loving Vincent“ and „The Peasants“ at BREAKTHRU FILMS studio in Poland.

Our works are included in museum collections in Cyprus, Ukraine, China, and Egypt.

We work in the fields of painting, graphics, mosaic, and animation.

List of presented works:

1_Kateryna Ocheredko_Bucha_linocut_work size 30x40cm_paper size 39×53 cm_2022(1)

The work was exhibited in the group exhibition „Day After Day,“ Nuremberg, Germany, 2023-2024, and at the 22nd International Print Biennial Varna 2023, Varna, Bulgaria.

2_KATERYNA OCHEREDKO_Weavers. Connections_linocut_40x58cm_2021

The work was exhibited at the International Contemporary Engraving Biennial N-E, Lasi, Romania, 2021, and at the solo exhibition „City and Body,“ Kyiv, Ukraine, 2022.

3_Kateryna Ocheredko_Mallow_paper_algrafia_30х20см_2022

The work was exhibited at the solo exhibition „City and Body,“ Kyiv, Ukraine, 2022.

4_Kateryna Ocheredko_Our life in your hands_linocut_work size 25x15cm_paper size 39x27cm_2022

This work was created for the art magazine „Body and Soul,“ Corvinus Presse, Berlin, Germany, 2023.

5_Kateryna_Ocheredko_50х35см__Trap_linocut_2017(3)

This work is in the museum collection of the Cyprus Museum of Modern Art, Nicosia, Cyprus.

The work was exhibited at the 21st International Engraving Biennial 2024, Marseille, France.

6_Kateryna_Ocheredko_50х35см__Gourmet_linocut_2017(3)

This work is in the museum collections of the China Printmaking Museum, China, and the Cyprus Museum of Modern Art, Nicosia, Cyprus.

7_Tetiana Ocheredko_Borodyanka_linocut_work size 28х42сm_paper size 39x53cm_2022

The work was exhibited in the group exhibition „Day After Day,“ Nuremberg, Germany, 2023-2024.

8_Tetiana Ocheredko_Kharkiv_linocut_work size 30х42сm_paper size 39x53cm_2022

The work was exhibited at the 21st International Engraving Biennial 2024, Marseille, France, and in the group exhibition „Day After Day,“ Nuremberg, Germany, 2023-2024.

9_Tetiana Ocheredko_The way home_linocut_30x42cm_2024

This work was created for the Art Book „Lindwurmischtungen & Berichtigungen“ by Georg Leb, Corvinus Presse, Berlin, Germany, 2024.

10_Tetiana_Ocheredko_Silence_Linocut_30x42cm_2023

11 Art Book „Lindwurmischtungen & Berichtigungen“ by Georg Leß, Corvinus Presse, Berlin, Germany, 2024.

11_Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko_book_2

11_Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko_book_3

11_Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko_book_4

11_Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko_book_5

All fotos_  Ocheredko Art Twins,
Kateryna & Tetiana Ocheredko.

Walter Pobaschnig _ 28.2.2024

https://literaturoutdoors.com