Albert Einstein once said that art is the expression of the deepest thoughts in the simplest way. Therefore, continuing the thought of the genius of the universe, we can assume that in every work of art, artists directly or indirectly present us with their own, author’s vision of the world, its structures and relationships. Each artist is a part of society and a direct witness and participant in historical events, social transformations and crises, which, in turn, is reflected in his or her artistic statements.

     The first solo exhibition of the Ukrainian artist Andriy (Vombat) Kaptar is a cross-section of his twenty-year creative activity, in which the lion’s share of works are addressed to our social system, its development, mistakes and achievements.

    His paintings and graphic works depict landscapes of fantasy cities with their strange inhabitants, habits and characters – so similar to you and me. The artist does not seek to be understood, his only desire is to continue free creation, reflecting on the topics of the surrounding reality without censorship and restrictions.

The exhibition features an installation dedicated to the most pressing topic of the Ukrainian present – Russia’s war against Ukraine, namely its greatest tragedy – civilian casualties. The centerpiece of the composition is children’s clothes, which the Russian orc walked through the bloody trail of tank caterpillars without regret or remorse. According to official statistics, over 150 little Ukrainians were killed and about 300 children were wounded in the first month of the war alone.

    For more than ten years, the artist has been working in the studio of Volodymyr Karvasarnyi, a well-known Khmelnytskyi graphic artist and poster designer. As Andrii notes, over the years of working in the studio under Volodymyr Ivanovych’s mentorship, the artist has adopted the tradition of honest artistic dialogue with the viewer and absolute thoroughness in the execution of each work. Currently, the artist is working on sacred mosaics, icons, and church interior decoration.

    Andriy (Vombat) Kaptar defines his relationship with art as an eloquent and effective way of self-expression and identification of his function in society. “What the audience will see in my stories is a real intrigue and the greatest curiosity for me!” the artist expects. And whether or not KOHM managed to catch the restless and mysterious wombat – judge from the exhibition.