Discourse with the recently appointed media figure, Stepan Ryabchenko, on our digital platform
Stepan Ryabchenko's art sprawls across various domains such as digital art, conceptual architecture, graphics, sculpture, photography, and light installations. Known for his eye-catching digital prints and computer animations, he showcases surreal virtual universes inhabited by imaginary flora and fauna. His work has been showcased globally, including at the Ludwig Museum in Budapest, Art & History Museum in Brussels, MAXXI - National Museum of 21st Century Art in Rome, Saatchi Gallery in London, Ars Electronica, and Expo 2020 in Dubai.
Boundaries between the virtual and actual, digital and analog, artificial and natural worlds intertwine in each of Ryabchenko's creations. A new topos or character in his virtual world serves as a self-sufficient and multidimensional entity. The surrealistic life forms in his digital landscapes find inspiration in nature but receive a new form and meaning through his imaginative lens.
Embracing the sentiments of Kazimir Malevich, who stated "a true artist is an eternal worker of ordering and introducing new symmetries of nature's creativity," Ryabchenko eulogizes nature by creating and introducing new images to the world canvas. By blending baroque forms, biomorphic outlines, vibrant colors, digital images, and materials like aluminum, polymers, and neon, his virtual world unfolds. Through his art, Ryabchenko appeals to the concept of human relationships with the natural environment, using technology as a means to explore our values, fundamental understanding of identity, and perception of the divine.
Ryabchenko's work features characters, flowers, winds, and other non-existent objects, spearheading what looks like a parallel universe. Regarding this, he says, "Creativity is the foundation of fantasy, so I cherish the opportunity to create my holistic vision of the world with never-before-seen images, habitats, landscapes, architecture, flora, and fauna."
The "Blessing Hand" work from Ryabchenko signifies a higher power. Asked whether he believes in blessings, Ryabchenko expresses gratitude towards God for providing inspiration and the ability to create, which he considers a blessing to share.
The art of Stepan Ryabchenko is marked by bright colors and curious shapes. He acknowledges that Ukrainian culture significantly impacts his aesthetics, especially in his virtual garden, where he conjures new plants and flowers symbolizing beauty, perfection, and the cycle of life and death. In addition, flowers embody an integral aspect of Ukrainian folk culture, manifested in paintings of rustic huts, embroidered towels, shirts, and even icon painting.
Ryabchenko's childhood experiences seem to play a significant role in his creative process. Growing up in Odessa, surrounded by both natural and artificial splendor, he cherishes the love and wisdom provided by his parents during his childhood. Although he is so fond of his "Luminiferous Floralambler" from his virtual garden, his deep affection for traditional flowers, such as peonies, lilacs, and roses, reminds him of his childhood and his mother.
Contemporary Ukrainian culture is reflected in Ryabchenko's art, characterized by a blend of experimentation, innovation, cultural heritage, and incorporation of political, social, and historical themes. The human relationship with nature and the divine, as well as the exploration of identity, provide recurring themes in his work.
Technology serves as a vital tool for Stepan Ryabchenko in his artistic explorations, enabling him to construct surreal digital landscapes and complex virtual worlds. His work, featuring characters, flora, and new forms of life, uses technology as a means to delve into human relationships with the natural environment, identity, and the divine.
