When it comes to embroidery, Ukrainian artist Diana Yevtukh goes beyond the rest. Choosing to display her surreal textile art outside of the standard hoop, she seamlessly fuses her pieces with rough or decaying surfaces like trees, stones or walls.
The results are striking. The artist’s meticulous needlework pieces feature a medley of vibrant flowers like poppies, daisies, and sunflowers, which nestle into the surfaces and appear to effervesce from within. Her works are often juxtaposed with rough or decaying surfaces to “heal” the damage, emphasizing the possibility for beauty and strength in unexpected places.
“The story of my tree embroidery series is all about a relationship with nature, revealing that a neighboring tree can be a living being with way more character than a scant look of a hurrying passer-by captures. Assuming the empty spaces on the bark are scars, I wanted to fill them with the new life, flowers and hope. Each embroidery is my effort to convey a message, whether it’s about a life hidden in plain sight, celebration of spring, or healing the wounded heart of nature. I want people to question their relationship with the beautiful stoical giants they meet every day, and refresh their concept of being a part of nature and a city at the same time.” – Diana Yevtukh
