Susanna Mikla’s artwork titled “In this stillness I’m not lost” is deeply embedded in Ukrainian cultural traditions and their modern reinterpretations. At the heart of her research lies the figure of the berehynia, a female archetype and custodian of memory, symbolizing protection, continuity and creative power. By depicting women as mothers, daughters and ancestral figures, the artist creates a visual language that weaves together myth, nature and identity.
Often, Mikla’s creations are infused with folkloric elements, ancient symbols and allusions to natural cycles, which serve as instruments to convey a collective yet deeply personal narrative. Femininity is not romanticized, but rather experienced as an ongoing process of transformation, grounded in memory and aimed at the future. Tradition is not perceived as static, but as a dynamic legacy to be reshaped and to be passed on.
The artist’s creative journey is driven by an ongoing quest to reach an equilibrium between the past and the present. Utilizing various techniques and a simplified figurative language, Susanna Mikla converts cultural heritage into a realm for both personal and communal development. Consequently, her creations evolve into sites of quiet defiance, where female memory manifests as gesture, image and continuity.
