Interview with Anna Veriki

Notably, Anna is currently collaborating with the „Ryan Graf Contemporary Art“ Gallery in San Francisco, USA, where she is represented by Ryan Graf. Anna’s educational background includes attending the Shevchenko State Art School, where she studied in the painting faculty in Kyiv from 2015 to 2019. Following that, she pursued her studies at the National Academy of Visual Arts and Architecture in Kyiv, specializing in painting, from 2019 to 2022. Anna’s paintings adorn private collections across a diverse array of locations, spanning Ukraine, the USA, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Portugal.

How have your Ukrainian background and the experience of growing up in Chernihiv influenced your artistic style and themes in your works?
I have been painting since I was a child, and I went to a children’s art school in Chernihiv. There was a sculpture teacher there who inspired me to enter an art school in Kyiv. I entered this school, a unique place where I have lived since I was 12. It’s a dormitory school; I moved there to live, and my parents stayed in Chernihiv. This had a great impact on the speed of my growing up; at 16, I realized what I had to do next and that I wanted to be in art.

What does your creative process look like? Do you have certain rituals or habits?
My main ritual while working is order and concentration. I also like to listen to music. My studio is located in Kyiv near the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (the main shrine of Ukraine), so you can often hear the church bell ringing in the studio. I like to listen to it; it’s a kind of meditation.

What role does the emotional component play in your art? To what extent do you try incorporating personal feelings or experiences into your works?
I am very sincere and truthful in my art; I need to be frank in my art. That’s why all my paintings are my truth. They are also reflections that I pass through myself and show on the canvas. I like to work with basic settings: simple human emotions, childhood memories, blind love, or fear.

How do you see the connection between your identity and your art?
I am sincere with myself and my works. My art is my life and everything I exist for. Also, I work with my body as a reference because it is clear to me, so I become even closer as an artist to the viewer.

Where do you currently live? Does the environment in which you live influence your artistic expression?
Now I live in Kyiv, Ukraine. There is a war in Ukraine, and many cities are suffering because of Russian aggression, including Kyiv. This is both a difficult and a very important period. It was a conscious decision for me to stay here and not leave. As a Ukrainian artist, I felt obliged to be here and create. I am greatly influenced by my surroundings and people. I realize that this period, the period of war, will be very important to my art in the future.

Have you ever been to Vienna?
I haven’t been to Vienna, but I definitely plan to visit.

What are your aspirations for 2024, and do you have any upcoming exhibitions in the pipeline?
In 2024, I have one of the most important projects: my solo exhibition in San Francisco. It’s a very exciting project that I’m looking forward to. There are also some group exhibitions in Australia and Los Angeles. This is what is planned for the near future.

Anna Veriki – www.instagram.com/anna_veriki/