Ukrainian Embroidery(2020)

      These pieces are based on my personal Ukrainian heritage and the tragic and largely unknown history of the Ukrainian people. I create embroidery designs through pixel art to make pieces that could be used in physical embroidery but can also stand as a story on their own. My inspiration for using pixel art came from the mapping process involved in embroidery design and other fiber media. I found that creating the pixel patterns allowed me to create embroidery maps that also functioned as full art pieces. Unlike many other cultures, Ukrainian embroidery continues the pixelated forms past the planning stage which the final pieces call back to.

      My process started with extensive research on a historical event or embroidery theme from which I built into a full story through traditional symbolism and regional-inspired colors. I created three banners to tell the stories about the history of Ukraine and my relation to it. In the middle piece, I demonstrate the loss of culture perpetuated by Russia and the Red Scare. On the right, I paid tribute to Holodomor, the famine created by Stalin that killed millions of Ukrainians. And finally on the left, I reference a Ukrainian moth called Hypena Opulenta to represent the strength and persistence of the Ukrainian people who have grasped their roots even through suffering and manipulation. My designs weave together traditional Ukrainian symbolism and channel the anger and grief caused by these events to bring awareness and take a stance against the erasure of Ukrainian culture. Each piece references a specific style of Ukrainian embroidery, so the banners are arranged according to location of these styles: West, Central, and East.