Yet, in many of the works, certain recurring elements can be discerned. One of the most striking motifs is the female figure and its corporeality—often reduced to minimalist, simplified forms. The women’s rounded bodies are stripped of anatomical detail, yet adorned with features drawn from the world of fantasy. The essence of femininity in Litvinova’s art manifests through smooth, almost metallic shapes; outlined, accentuated hips; and the anonymity of facial features.
Interestingly, the artist admitted that only after arriving in Poland (she has lived and studied in Lublin for three years) could she freely present such works, since in her homeland the expression of femininity—even in art—remains a taboo subject.

The fantastic elements mentioned appear in many forms—the artist “gives wings” to her heroines, multiplies (or reduces) their eyes, and often blends human and animal traits. These devices evoke associations with the elaborate worlds of Jacek Yerka or the fantastic realism of Wojciech Siudmak, though Litvinova’s art reveals a more traditional painterly quality, visible in her expressive brushstrokes. Her highly spatial figures are often juxtaposed with flat, undefined, two-dimensional backgrounds or ornamental fragments (such as floral motifs). This tension is heightened by the fact that some works can be displayed both vertically and horizontally—or even upside down—without losing their coherence.

A separate group of works consists of abstractions, whose power lies in the effect of uniform colour fields. Interwoven with these are tangled, irregular lines of “hair-like” detail. The resulting dynamism and apparent chaos—also present in her other works—invite multiple interpretations, opening a doorway into another (hyper)reality.

Valeriya Litvinova
The Hyperreal

On view: 7–31 March 2023
Exhibition opening (vernissage): 2 March 2023, 17:00