Stories of Silent Fragments

From September 14 to 26, an exhibition of collages and art objects by Maryna Pavlyshyn (b. 1989 in Khust, Zakarpattia), Stories of Silent Fragments, will be on view at the gallery of the Marija and Jurgis Šlapeliai House Museum, Pilies St. 40, Vilnius.

I first saw Maryna amid the bustle of an event during the first years of the war. She stood as if she had stepped out of a painting by the Old Masters — upright, strong and aristocratic, with a presence that left no room to doubt her lineage. She seemed to be surrounded by a kind of celestial light. Later, I discovered her photographs and other works — a delicate balance of freedom, beauty and talent, reflecting a sense of both inner and outer purity. It seems that each stage of Maryna’s creative journey unfolds with a sense of lightness, despite the obstacles of the outside world. I believe that those who visit the exhibition will leave feeling somehow blessed.

While still studying landscape design, M. Pavlyshyn began working in her chosen field. She had always loved plants, and after the birth of her daughter, she began creating natural cosmetics. At the time, there were very few such products on the market, and what began as a passion gradually evolved into the business project amelie.cosmetics. The products, created from plants grown in the Zakarpattia region, as well as their visual identity, were also Maryna’s creations.

Another fragment of Maryna’s creative journey is her work with candles, made from natural materials. She loves the process itself: choosing shapes, combining aromas, working with wax and creating the most unexpected combinations. The exhibition will also feature an installation of original reusable candles, in which scent plays an important role. Photography has always been an important part of Maryna’s creative practice: “I love photography, all kinds of magazines, textures and surfaces. I draw a little, too. At some point, all these things began to naturally come together — photography, magazine cut-outs, drawings, paint and textures. That’s how I began creating collages,” she explains.

The works come in different formats: some resemble postcards or paintings, while others take the form of unconventional objects. “My collages are an opportunity to discover beauty in the most unexpected places, to bring seemingly incompatible elements together and turn them into a single story.” Looking at the artist’s collages, one can hear a musical rhythm reminiscent of Geta Brătescu, as well as a synthesis of image and text inspired by León Ferrari. Each of Maryna’s works emerges from a meditative state of calm — a story created through the tactile act of tearing old magazines, painting and intuitively bringing elements together, offering a moment of respite from the noise of the world.

Maryna’s exhibition is a reminder that there is an abundance of beauty all around us. We simply need to learn how to notice it — to find it in the simplest details: magazines, photographs, colours, textures and unexpected combinations. To bring these elements together into a whole and, from these fragments, create our own story.

Posters designers Milana Zubenko
Curator of the Exhibition Ramunė Šuščevičiūtė

Portrait of Maryna Pavlyshyn. Photo by Myko Zava
Collages
Photographs by M. Pavlyshyn