Escapism — the new exhibition by Ksenia Oksin in Larnaca
Ksenia Oksin is known both in Ukraine and across many European countries. In 2023, her deeply emotional works were already featured at the Larnaca Biennale.
Her new artistic statement, titled Escapism: A Path of Reflection, Healing, and Exploration, delves into the intertwined themes of trauma and resilience.
“I found my escapism in painting. It’s my reflection on events and my way of speaking to the world,” Ksenia says.
The opening of the exhibition at EVOHK Gallery in Larnaca drew an international audience — artists, cultural figures, and journalists. The showcase immediately attracted wide attention.
Ksenia Oksin at the opening of the exhibition Escapism: A Path of Reflection, Healing, and Exploration
“There’s nothing artificial or forced in this exhibition. These are personal, genuine stories — my own experiences, the experience of war in Ukraine.
For instance, these military suitcases symbolize my own belongings — my life, my books, my kitchen utensils — packed away in boxes, waiting in a kind of transit zone until I understand where my home truly is. I left Ukraine, but it’s impossible to leave Ukraine behind,” the artist shares.
At the same time, Ksenia notes that not all stories in the project are about war:
“Once I met a young man from Afghanistan. He was 18 when he fled the Taliban. He had only a backpack and a bottle of water. He walked across all of Turkey, reached Switzerland, learned French and English, and found a job with the Red Cross. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a couple of years I see him driving a Lamborghini,” she laughs. “But his strength of will truly impressed me.”
Ksenia’s exhibition opened the RELATE Festival, designed for participants of the artistic residency organized by Visual Voices (Cyprus), Generation for Change (Cyprus), and l’atelier des artistes en exil (France). Artists of various disciplines — painters, writers, musicians — were invited to create freely. The competition was tough, but Ksenia succeeded in securing her place.
“Ksenia Oksin has initiated a crucial conversation about the interconnection of trauma and resilience, and the emotional landscapes shaped by displacement and longing. Our visitors felt a profound need to discuss these difficult but vital topics, which are, unfortunately, rarely represented on the island’s contemporary art scene”, – says Eirene Constantinou, interdisciplinary artist and director of the EVOHK art space in Larnaca.
EireneConstantinou and Ksenia Oksin
The project was developed under the mentorship of Lia Haraki, for whom the collaboration became a meaningful artistic and personal experience.
“Yes, we worked fruitfully — the exhibition turned out profound and moving. But what truly mattered was the spiritual connection. It became not only a creative but also a life experience,” Lia Haraki reflects.
Lia Haraki and Ksenia Oksin
Among the first visitors was Ksenia Mukhortova, head of the Ukraine–Cyprus Friendship Society:
“I admire Ksenia’s talent — her ability to visualize emotions that often go beyond words. We met while organizing street actions in support of Ukraine. Her art activism added depth to those events and made the audience truly think.
Her new project, *Escapism*, is deeply moving — it tells human stories that show how much a person can endure and still preserve kindness, empathy, and openness to the world.”
Exhibition Escapism: A Path of Reflection, Healing, and Exploration
The exhibition Escapism: A Path of Reflection, Healing, and Exploration* runs until October 13 as part of the RELATE Festival.
More information is available on the festival’s website.
*The RELATE Festival (co-funded by the European Union under the CERV programme) supports migrant artists in Cyprus through mentorship, production assistance, public presentations, and opportunities for international collaboration.
Photography by Mark Ashwell
Text by Olena Andrews-Skalyodes
Теги: Ksenia Oksin