Artist Statement 

My name is Svitlana Zezekalo, I am an artist born in Kyiv, currently living and working in Croatia. In my work, I explore the inner world of a woman — her transformation, pain, strength, memory, and silence. 

My paintings are conversations with myself — raw, honest, and present. I draw from personal experience, using it as fertile ground for visual stories born out of both vulnerability and resilience. 

The series "Adulthood" tells the story of a girl who no longer believes in fairy tales. It’s not about loss — it’s about the journey back to oneself. A new language of silence, clarity, and an inner light that doesn't need outside approval. 

Art, for me, is a way to remain true — to see and embrace every part of myself, even the ones that had been forgotten for too long.

Artist CV

Born: 1974, Kyiv, Ukraine
Based in: Karlovac, Croatia
Membership: Artist Union ULAK (Karlovac, Croatia) since 2023

Education

  • Kyiv Children's Art School (Ukraine)

Solo Exhibitions

  • 2022 – Solo Exhibition, Euro Art Gallery, Rivne, Ukraine

Group Exhibitions and Art Events

  • 2024 – Group Exhibition, ULAK (Karlovac, Croatia)

  • 2024 – Group Exhibition, ULAK (Karlovac, Croatia)

  • 2024 – Art Residency / Artistic Plein Air, ULAK (Karlovac, Croatia)

  • 2024 – Art Residency / Artistic Plein Air, ULAK (Karlovac, Croatia)

  • 2024 – Art Residency / Artistic Plein Air, Novo Mesto, Slovenia

  • 2024 – Participation in Charity Art Auction, Croatia

  • 2019 – Group Exhibition, NuArt Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine

Special Projects

  • 2021 – Painting elements used in branding of several series of cosmetic products

Other Professional Activities

  • 2023–2024 – Member and head of the jury for three children’s drawing competitions for Ukrainian children in Croatia

Press Coverage

  • 2025 – Featured in an article in Jutarnji list newspaper (Croatia)

Relocation

  • 2022 – Relocated to Croatia due to the war in Ukraine