TIRANA, May 30 /ATA/ Ukrainian artist Olia Fedorova has opened solo exhibition entitled “Bold Lines, Fragile Lines” at ZETA Contemporary Art Center in Tirana
Friends, colleagues, and art lovers warmly welcomed the opening of Olia Fedorova’s solo exhibition “Bold Lines, Fragile Lines” at ZETA Contemporary Art Center in Tirana.
The Ukrainian artist continues to explore the landscapes of her homeland through maps. Speaking to ATA, Fedorova explained that maps reduce landscapes to clusters of lines, yet they do not capture the tragic toll and destruction experienced as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“I have two series of artworks. One is dedicated to rivers — the river lines of Ukraine — which at the same time serve as natural borders and defensive lines, since these rivers halt the advance of the Russian army. At the same time, these rivers are among the most affected by the ecological disasters brought on by the war,” Fedorova explained.
“My other series deals with Ukraine’s northeastern borders, which is also my home region. These works depict the exact frontier with Russia, described as wounds, as scars. That is where the war began, and it remains a zone of fierce battles. They are wounds that cannot heal and continue to be a source of pain,” said Olia Fedorova.
The “Defense Lines Maps” series consists of embroidered representations of Ukrainian rivers — waterways that have suffered deeply from the war, yet at the same time have served, and continue to serve, as powerful natural defense lines, slowing or preventing further advances of Russian troops.
In the form of Ukraine’s northeastern border within the Kharkiv region, a black embroidered curtain is presented, marked with a line that traces the frontier between Ukraine and Russia.
On 24 February 2022, Russian forces crossed the Ukrainian border at multiple points, including this very frontier, situated only 40 kilometers from Kharkiv — the birthplace of the artist.
To this day, the border remains a site of ongoing battles and a constant source of threat.
The exhibition is staged as part of Olia Fedorova’s residency in Tirana, within the framework of the Foreign Atelier Scholarship Program supported by Land Steiermark (Styrian District, Austria).
The artist shared with ATA her impressions of Tirana, praising the city’s vibrant artistic life as well as the warmth and hospitality of its people.
The exhibition will be on display at the ZETA Contemporary Art Center until 13 June, serving as an invitation to experience the war through the perspective of the Ukrainian artist.
Born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the artist is now based in Graz, Austria, where she works as a multidisciplinary creator in the fields of text and textile, as well as photography and video.
Since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, her experience of displacement, together with the war’s impact on people, the environment, and language, has become central to her artistic practice.
Fedorova has held more than ten solo exhibitions across Ukraine, Austria, Poland, and Italy, establishing herself as a multidisciplinary artist.
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