Stairs in the Middle of the Abyss

Anastasiia Pustovarova, born in Ukraine, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans graphics, book illustration, photography, collage, oil, and watercolor painting.

Summary of Anastasiia Pustovarova

A graduate of the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, the artist explores human emotions, particularly fear and love, through sensory experiences and biblical motifs, incorporating sacred symbols and textual references.

Biography of Anastasiia Pustovarova

The artist was born in Cherkasy, Ukraine, in 1990. She studied at the Faculty of Book Graphics and Illustration at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, graduating in 2017.

In 2022, she participated in the special project Piazza Ukraina at the Venice Biennale in Italy, A year later, in 2023, the artist participated in the banner campaign "Whose War, Whose Peace" with Goethe-Institut in Dresden, Germany.

Anastasiia Pustovarova’s art has been showcased in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Her solo shows include "Time to be born" held in a space The Room at Artsvit Gallery in Dnipro, Ukraine (2019), and "The game" at Fizer Gallery in Cherkasy, Ukraine (2022). Recent group exhibitions featuring Pustovarova's paintings include "How are you?" at Ukrainian House in Kyiv, Ukraine (2023), "I dreamt of beasts" at Galeria Labirynt in  Lublin, Poland (2022), and "24.02 – Until the victory. Wartime art archive" at The Naked Room in Kyiv, Ukraine (2022).

Anastasiia Pustovarova’s Famous Paintings: Fear and Love in Bold Strokes

The artwork of Anastasiia Pustovarova includes numerous paintings, collages, graphics, book illustrations, and photography. Her project “Time to Be Born” features a series of etchings and monotypes inspired by the Book of Ecclesiastes, portraying individuals during the most pivotal moments of their lives. Works from “Zabava (Game)” project include graphics and paintings. This series was inspired by the surreal, boundless world of children, where there are no limits and no compassion.

Among her famous works are “City Walls. Portrait” (2019), “Both Have Eyes Opened” (2019), “Babylon” (2020), and many more.

Anastasiia Pustovarova’s Art Style

Pustovarova’s art delves into human emotions and states, particularly focusing on fear and love, exploring how these are expressed in both literary and artistic forms. Her practice is rooted in sensory and personal experiences. She frequently incorporates biblical motifs, using sacred symbols, textual quotes, and visual representations of specific biblical images.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Anastasiia Pustovarova has created graphic posters and paintings that reflect the collective fragility of society during times of social upheaval.