Daria Molokoiedova

The shape of Daria Molokoiedova’s work Music of the Wind recalls that of the ‘wind chimes’ instrument, which makes sounds by moving with air currents. However, the dreamy composition, in stark contrast with the noisy Bessarabska Square, emphasizes the surreal atmosphere of the country’s everyday life at war more than it harmonizes it.

The tree, hand, frog, woman and kidneys embody the contradictory dimensions of reality in Ukraine today: the closeness of death and fear are intertwined in a dance with life, laughter, and play. The adrenal glands notably secrete stress hormones. The frog is a symbol of death in some cultures and fertility in others. Meanwhile, the tree appears to be walking, with its roots torn from the ground. This way, the artist depicts a person’s special connection with nature and home as well as roots, identity, which have become movable. Fingers frozen in motion refer to games and draws. The whimsical silhouette of a woman is an interpretation of the character of Greek mythology Baubo. For the artist, she has become an image of a female figure who embodies support and humor amid the chaos of the war.

By combining disparate symbols and images, Molokoiedova captures the chaos of the carnival spirit, often inherent in Ukrainians. No role or meaning is stable here, and fun and humor are used to address or, conversely, to avoid the complex subjects of death and tragedy. The work organically interacts with the life-affirming polyphony of the surrounding space and emphasizes the ambiguity of experiencing wartime and martial law, where conflicting emotions and actions coexist.