Sofiia Zharkaia

Artist Statement

In my work, I explore the theme of memory and distance. My central question revolves around how nostalgia for my childhood in Russia shapes my identity. I moved to the US three years ago, and my longing for a past that I can never fully recapture drives my artistic expression. I explore these ideas through digital collage, painting, and mixed media, combining fragments of personal photographs, Russian song lyrics, and fairy tales, all reminiscent of my childhood. Through creating this body of work I've been able to reconstruct and reconnect with my past.