10 Questions with Viktoriia Vansovych
Viktoriia Vansovych is a self-taught contemporary artist currently living in the United Kingdom. Originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, she used to paint as a hobby for her own pleasure and occasionally exhibited her works locally. After moving to the UK, Viktoriia felt the need to explore a different artistic path. Inspired by her new environment, she transitioned to a new style, experimenting with mixed media and developing a more expressive and dynamic approach. Combining acrylics and charcoal powder on canvas, her work captures raw emotions and explores the balance between movement and stillness, light and shadow, and colour and contrast. Viktoriia continues to evolve her unique artistic language and has participated in several group exhibitions in the UK.
Viktoriia Vansovych - Portrait
ARTIST STATEMENT
Viktoriia Vansovych creates expressive and emotionally charged paintings that explore the tension between movement and stillness, light and shadow, and colour and contrast. Using a unique technique that combines acrylic paint with charcoal powder, her works capture raw impulses and fleeting moments of energy. Each piece is a dynamic interplay of texture and colour, inviting viewers to feel the intensity beneath the surface. Viktoriia’s art is characterized by spontaneity and depth, reflecting an inner dialogue between calm and explosion, restraint and freedom. Through her vibrant compositions, she seeks to evoke a visceral response and connect with the audience on an emotional level. In each painting, viewers may find something personal and close to their own experience, creating a shared space of feeling and reflection.
Dancing of Freedom, Acrylic and charcoal powder on canvas, 90 × 80 cm, 2024 © Viktoriia Vansovych
INTERVIEW
First of all, can you tell us a bit about your background and how you first got into painting?
I was born in 1985 in a small town near Kyiv, Ukraine. In 2008, I graduated from Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design. Although my studies weren’t directly related to fine arts, they helped shape my sensitivity to aesthetics and form. I began painting during quiet, peaceful moments in my life, mostly using oils to capture flowers, nature, and animals, especially horses. For me, painting was always a personal source of joy and calm. In 2023, I moved to the United Kingdom. The war in Ukraine had a deep impact on me, bringing anxiety and uncertainty. But the beauty of the UK and the warmth of its people inspired me to reconnect with my creativity and explore a new, more expressive artistic style.
You’re a self-taught artist. How has that shaped your artistic journey compared to formal training?
I’m mostly a self-taught artist, and that path has been very meaningful to me. While I’ve taken some painting courses to improve my technique, my artistic voice developed naturally through emotion, intuition, and constant practice. Not having formal training gave me the freedom to explore without limits. It allowed me to discover my own way of expressing emotion through art. I believe this helped me keep my work authentic, spontaneous, and true to how I feel.
Nostalgie, Acrylic and charcoal powder on canvas, 90 × 80 cm, 2024 © Viktoriia Vansovych
What inspired your transition from painting as a hobby in Ukraine to pursuing a more expressive style in the UK?
During the war, I stopped painting for a while because of fear and emotional stress. But after moving to the UK in 2023, something changed. I felt inspired again—by the new environment, by nature, by people around me. I no longer wanted to paint in the calm, traditional way I had before. I felt the need to express stronger emotions, to let the intensity inside me out onto the canvas. That’s how my more expressive style was born.
How did your move to the UK influence your creative direction and artistic voice?
Living in the UK gave me a fresh perspective. The landscapes, the diversity, the open-minded culture—all of it encouraged me to experiment more and to feel free in my creativity. I became more confident and more connected to my artistic voice. The move helped me blend my Ukrainian roots with new influences and gave me the courage to express deeper emotions through my work.
You work primarily with acrylics and charcoal powder. What draws you to these materials, and how do you combine them?
I love working with acrylics and charcoal powder because they allow me to create strong contrasts—both in texture and in feeling. Acrylics are bold and vibrant; they help me express energy and movement. Charcoal powder, on the other hand, brings softness, depth, and something raw.
Together, these materials help me play with opposites—sharp and soft, light and dark. They give me the tools to express emotion in a very physical and powerful way.
Dream Dancing, Acrylic and charcoal powder on canvas, 90 × 60 cm, 2024 © Viktoriia Vansovych
Rise of Motion, Acrylic and charcoal powder on canvas, 90 × 80 cm, 2023 © Viktoriia Vansovych
Your work often explores contrasts like light and shadow or movement and stillness. What attracts you to these themes?
I’m fascinated by contrasts. I think life is full of them—light and shadow, peace and chaos, movement and stillness. When I paint, I often feel these opposites fighting or dancing inside me, and I try to show that on the canvas.
These themes let me explore the complexity of human emotion and experience. They give me a way to express the tension, the beauty, and the truth that comes from living through both pain and hope.
What does your creative process typically look like, from idea to finished piece?
My creative process is very spontaneous. Ideas often come to me suddenly—maybe while I’m on a bus, walking in the park, or just looking at something that catches my eye. Sometimes, while I’m working on one piece, a new idea for the next one will appear.
I usually don’t plan everything in advance. I might do a quick sketch, but often I just start painting and let the materials and my emotions guide me. When I feel the inspiration, I work quickly because I want to catch that moment of emotion before it fades.
Do your Ukrainian roots still play a role in your current work or themes?
Yes, very much so. Even though I’m building a new life in the UK, my heart is still deeply connected to Ukraine. The culture I grew up with, and especially the emotional weight of the war, continue to influence me. I don’t always show it directly, but the feelings of resilience, tension, and complexity that come from my Ukrainian roots often appear in my work.
Golden Lion, Acrylic and charcoal powder on canvas, 90 × 80 cm, 2024 © Viktoriia Vansovych
You’ve taken part in several group exhibitions in the UK. How have these experiences influenced your development as an artist?
Taking part in group exhibitions has been a powerful experience. It’s helped me see different styles and meet other artists, which always gives me new ideas and motivation. It also gives me the feeling that I’m part of something bigger—a creative community where people share and inspire each other.
The positive feedback I’ve received has given me more confidence to keep going and to stay true to my expressive, emotional style.
Lastly, what are you currently working on, and what directions do you see your art taking in the near future?
Right now, I’m continuing to explore my expressive style with acrylics and charcoal powder. I’m focused on emotional contrasts—light and dark, movement and stillness, strength and vulnerability.
I dream of opening my own studio, exhibiting in more galleries, and sharing my work with an international audience. But more than anything, I hope that when someone sees my paintings, they feel something real. Maybe they recognise part of their own story. That connection is what matters most to me.
Artist’s Talk
Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.
