Sonya Delone with carolers in Odessa (2024)

Year
2024
Materials
canvas, oil
Medium
Painting
Price
$600
Let's imagine that Ukraine gained independence before the Second World War and the successful Parisian artist Sonia Delaunay, born in 1885 as Sara Stein, returns to her homeland for the holidays. The reference for the portrait was Sonia Delaunay's own work, a photo of carolers from the late 19th century in Volyn and a photo of Sonia in her own design clothing. Several coincidences are associated with this work. Firstly, I didn't know if it was appropriate to depict a Jewish woman with carolers. And while I was looking for answers, inquiring, among other things, with residents of Odessa, I came across an exhibition at the Museum of Terror and the first archival recording I heard in my headphones about life before the arrival of Soviet power and Nazis in Lviv was a recording of a Jewish man who lived in Lviv at that time. The memoir recording began with these words: "We lived harmoniously with children of other nationalities. We loved the holiday of Caroling. We went caroling with Polish boys and they gave us money for it." I received an answer, a literal one! The depicted situation is possible! The second coincidence I depicted was the building of the Odessa museum and on the day I painted it, the Russians shelled this museum.
Buy Sonya Delone with carolers in Odessa (2024)
Year
2024
Materials
canvas, oil
Medium
Painting
Price
$600
Let's imagine that Ukraine gained independence before the Second World War and the successful Parisian artist Sonia Delaunay, born in 1885 as Sara Stein, returns to her homeland for the holidays. The reference for the portrait was Sonia Delaunay's own work, a photo of carolers from the late 19th century in Volyn and a photo of Sonia in her own design clothing. Several coincidences are associated with this work. Firstly, I didn't know if it was appropriate to depict a Jewish woman with carolers. And while I was looking for answers, inquiring, among other things, with residents of Odessa, I came across an exhibition at the Museum of Terror and the first archival recording I heard in my headphones about life before the arrival of Soviet power and Nazis in Lviv was a recording of a Jewish man who lived in Lviv at that time. The memoir recording began with these words: "We lived harmoniously with children of other nationalities. We loved the holiday of Caroling. We went caroling with Polish boys and they gave us money for it." I received an answer, a literal one! The depicted situation is possible! The second coincidence I depicted was the building of the Odessa museum and on the day I painted it, the Russians shelled this museum.
Ask Sonya Delone with carolers in Odessa (2024)
Year
2024
Materials
canvas, oil
Medium
Painting
Price
$600
Let's imagine that Ukraine gained independence before the Second World War and the successful Parisian artist Sonia Delaunay, born in 1885 as Sara Stein, returns to her homeland for the holidays. The reference for the portrait was Sonia Delaunay's own work, a photo of carolers from the late 19th century in Volyn and a photo of Sonia in her own design clothing. Several coincidences are associated with this work. Firstly, I didn't know if it was appropriate to depict a Jewish woman with carolers. And while I was looking for answers, inquiring, among other things, with residents of Odessa, I came across an exhibition at the Museum of Terror and the first archival recording I heard in my headphones about life before the arrival of Soviet power and Nazis in Lviv was a recording of a Jewish man who lived in Lviv at that time. The memoir recording began with these words: "We lived harmoniously with children of other nationalities. We loved the holiday of Caroling. We went caroling with Polish boys and they gave us money for it." I received an answer, a literal one! The depicted situation is possible! The second coincidence I depicted was the building of the Odessa museum and on the day I painted it, the Russians shelled this museum.