Evgeniya Pankratova

Garden of Living Growth

The image of the garden has many meanings traceable to various ancient traditions. It symbolizes the ideal world, cosmic order and harmony, often associated with paradise lost and regained. The garden can also be seen as an allegory of the learning process that takes time to reveal the future state of the plants. The garden is a constructed world of order, a sanctuary, a place of alternative scenarios distinct from actual reality.

Etymologically, the word „garden“ comes from a Germanic term that means „enclosure“. In this interpretation, a garden is a limited space enclosed by walls, whether real or fictional. This restrictive context serves to maintain a separation between the realm of „nature“ that we have the ability to control and the world of what is beyond our control.

The garden, in my artistic perception, is a metaphor for life, reflecting the endless cycle of birth, development and extinction. Through this metaphor I seek to reflect the sensual and object world, emphasizing the creative potential of human beings. This series of works is a reflection on the interaction between the created, nurtured by man and the reality around him.

In terms of expressive artistic language, I turn to medieval carpet art in order to analyze composition and symbolism. This historical context serves not only as a source of inspiration, but also as a springboard for the creation of a new visual language, by integrating images of the past with contemporary interpretations.

Artist Statement