Cities and Memories: Early Graphics by Anna Myronova

Author

Lamonova Oksana

a Ph.D. in Art Studies, a research fellow at Fine, Decorative and Applied Arts Department of M. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv, Ukraine).

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6937-421X

Myronova Hanna

a senior lecturer at the Design Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design of Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University (Kyiv, Ukraine).

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8490-7739

Cities and Memories: Early Graphics by Anna Myronova

Abstract

Hanna Myronova (artistic pseudonym – Anna Myronova) is a contemporary Ukrainian artist known for her interdisciplinary practice. She works as a painter, sculptor, and printmaker, often turning to pencil drawing, but above all is recognized as the author of conceptual art projects.

Her projects – Shadow of Grass (2012), Heraldry of the Poor (2014), Coats of Arms of Memories (2015), Against the Light and Geotexts (both 2020) – have invariably attracted keen interest among audiences, journalists, and art critics. Researchers often interpret her work through the lens of environmental themes. However, their attention has been focused almost exclusively on Myronova’s works of the 2010s and 2020s, while her prints from the 2000s – not only artistically refined and expressive, but also technically accomplished – help to reveal the imagery and conceptual foundations of her later projects.

This article is the first to analyze the artist’s early works, including Entrance-Exit (2004), City. Kyiv, Bridges, From White Light to White Light (all 2005), The First Day of the Year (2006), the series Memories (2006–2009), and the cycle Echoes of the Past Day (2007). In these works, the young artist skilfully employs and boldly combines various printmaking techniques: cardboard engraving, classical etching, drypoint, soft-ground etching, embossing, and active use of colour. Importantly, Myronova did not hand-colour her prints – for each colour, a separate printing plate (usually a cardboard engraving) was created.

The graphic works of this period became the foundation for the artist’s current conceptual projects and serve as a key to understanding the evolution of her visual language.

Keywords

Hanna Myronova (Anna Myronova), Ukrainian printmaking of the 2000s, easel graphics, etching, mezzotint, cardboard engraving, mixed media.

References

1. BELAN, Iryna. The Legends and Myths of Ancient Kaniv. Pragmatika, 2020, November 8 [online]. Available from: https://pragmatika.media/legendy-i-mify-drevnego-kaneva/ [in Ukrainian].
2. НAVROSH, Oksana. On the Break of Shears. Fine Arts, 2019, no. 4, pp. 82–83 [in Ukrainian].
3. HANEICHUK, Kateryna. Anna Myronova. The Space: Exhibition Prospektus. Lutsk, 2018 [in Ukrainian].
4. ANON. “Geotexts” of Anna Myronova in ”BlackRed”. Esthete Newspaper, 2020, no 8, pp. 5 [in Ukrainian].
5. YEFREMOVA, Valentyna. “Fragments” from Three Famous Artists. The Family Matters, 2020, November 6 [online]. Available from: https://familytimes.com.ua/mistectvo/fragmenti-vid-trokh-vidomikh-khudozhnikiv [in Ukrainian].
6. ZOLOTNIUK, Anna. Getting Rid of Superfluous. Zbruch, 2020, March 17 [online]. Available from: https://zbruc.eu/node/96313 [in Ukrainian].
7. ZOLOTNIUK, Anna. The Graphic Landscapes of Anna Myronova (Interview with the Artist). The Space, 2021 [online]. Available from: https://www.prostranstvo.media/uk/grafichni-landshafty-anny-myronovoyi/ [in Ukrainian].
8. KORSUN, Dmytro. Anna Myronova: “From White Light to White Light”. The Museum Lane, 2010, no.  2 (16), pp. 134–139 [in Ukrainian].
9. LAMONOVA, Oksana. “Against the Light” by Anna Myronova. Science and Society, 2021, no. 5–6, pp. 63–64 [in Ukrainian].
10. LAMONOVA, Oksana. “Grass Shadow”. Science and Society, 2022, no. 9, pp. 62–63 [in Ukrainian].
11. LIMINA, Polina. “Between Strokes”. Anna Myronova in “Ya Gallery”. CHERNOZEM, 2017, July 27 [online]. Available from: https://chernozem.info/event/mizh-shtrihami-anna-mironova-u-ya-gallery/ [in Ukrainian].
12. MARYCHEVSKA, Oksana. Intimate Reflection of Anna Myronova. Fine Arts, 2016, no. 3, pp. 38–39 [in Ukrainian].
13. MYRONOVA, Anna. My Diary is My Works. ART UKRAINE, 2016, February 17 [online]. Available from: https://artukraine.com.ua/a/anna-mironova--moy-dnevnik--moi-raboty/#.ZCfzIPZByHs [in Ukrainian].
14. ANON. The Quarantined Art. It’s Sincerely. Stories about… “Ukrainian House” National Centre. Online Project, 2020 [online]. Available from: https://uadim.in.ua/shyro-istorii-pro/mystectvo [in Ukrainian].
15. MITIAKINA, Olena. Kaniv Myth of Anna Myronova. Fine Arts, 2021, no. 1, pp. 80–83 [in Ukrainian].
16. NAVROTSKA, Zoia. “The Space” by Anna Myronova. Fine Arts, 2019, no. 2, pp. 50–51 [in Ukrainian].
17. RUBLIOVSKA, Roksana. The View from Below. There is an Exhibition of Anna Myronova in Voloshyn Gallery. NV.ua. 2017, December 4 [online]. Available from: https://life.nv.ua/ukr/art/pogljad-znizu-u-voloshyn-gallery-prohodit-vistavkaanni-mironovoji-2315874.html [in Ukrainian].
18. SKLIARENKO, Halyna. “Leafs, Herbs and Meadows” by Anna Myronova. CHERNOZEM, 2018, July 26 [online]. Available from: https://chernozem.info/journal/180726/ [in Ukrainian].
19. STRUK, Dmitri. Delicate Matters of Anna Mironova. MEGAPOLIS, 2018, June, no. 35, pp. 66–69 [in Russian].
20. HOMCHENKO, Milena. Anna Myronova: “Everything in the Universe has Its End and Everything has’t End”. Your Art, 2021, June 17 [online]. Available from: https://supportyourart.com/conversations/anna-myronova-vse-u-vsesviti-mayesvij-kinecz-i-vse-ne-maye-kinczya/ [in Ukrainian].