Re-Awakening, 2022

About the painting:
"Awakening" and "Re-Awakening" are the first large canvases Sochynsky painted after emerging from a place of personal turmoil sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. These works also precede her latest series "Dogs of War" and "Cry Havoc" which address key moments or feelings from the war on Ukraine, serving as almost a bridge from her past bodies of work to the new paintings confronting the conflict.

About the artist:
Spanning a career of over forty years, Sochynsky has exhibited widely in the U.S. and abroad. She had a solo retrospective exhibit at the Ukrainian Museum, NYC in 2012. Recent exhibits include 'Viewpoints' at Windham Fine Arts, NY, 'Flying Colors' at Zorya Fine Arts, CT, and 'Fugues: A Solo exhibit by Ilona Sochynsky' at Kaaterskill Fine Arts Gallery, NY.

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and MFA from Yale, School of Art, Sochynsky has been exhibiting her works in a multiplicity of media since the early 1980's in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Maryland and Rhode Island. She successfully ran a graphic design firm, Ilona Sochynsky Associates until 1979, at which time she decided to devote energies to painting full time. Her initial paintings of this period address the concerns of Pop Art and Photorealism, particularly the work of James Rosenquist. By the mid-1980s, she shifted towards more internalized personal concerns integrating relationships, pop culture, into images with psychological and emotional intensity. In the 1990s, she turned towards formalism, exploring color and design elements, often in works made up of small-scale canvases. These interests became manifest in large-scale, shaped canvases (2006-2007) where she focused on defining and redefining the outer edges of the canvas.

Peter Doroshenko, previous director of the Ukrainian Museum, has said about Sochynsky’s latest body of work, Dogs of War: “[Sochynsky’s] newest body of abstract paintings powerfully engages with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, reflecting both personal and collective trauma while showcasing her formidable technical skill. Her work transcends traditional boundaries, utilizing vibrant color palettes and dynamic forms that evoke the tumultuous emotions of war. Sochynsky's artistic practice is deeply rooted in her cultural identity and experiences as a Ukrainian, allowing her to convey poignant narratives that resonate with a global audience. The thematic depth of her paintings invites viewers to confront the harsh realities of conflict while simultaneously exploring notions of resilience and hope. Ilona Sochynsky's ability to transform socio-political issues into compelling visual statements positions her as a significant voice in contemporary art.”