MY ARTIST STATEMENT
Transmuting Darkness into Triumph Through Art
My paintings become narratives with wings and bandages, where bandages turn into canvases and the body of the painting is perceived as a living entity, adorned with wounds and scars depicted with realistic truthfulness. "Cemra" is a Belarusian word that means "darkness". Utilizing plaster bandages and epoxy resin, I create texture and employ the painterly qualities of oil paint to complete the work.
Blood, as the material evidence of a wound, is always visible, while healing is a process, but is it ever possible? Could the wounded subject avoid the trauma? In my context, this refers to individuals forced to leave their homes and endure separation.
The post-traumatic universe in my paintings is dedicated to those who survive: the traces on the canvas are not the conclusion; they signify a new beginning born from separation.
These works are primarily about the wounded and displaced identities. A wound does not end the subject's life; rather, it keeps the subject vitally alive and potentially more self-aware than before.
What is my stance, Darya’s position? My artistic persona, reminiscent of a nurse, symbolizes attention, care, and potential healing. It is an image that stands alongside those seeking solace and healing through art—a mediator between the wounds, the wounded, and the observers.
The paintings offer a space of "non-enjoyment," a realm of sincere expression without dominance, where the wounds of the viewer are recognized. Acknowledging these traces of unsymbolized, unbearable trauma guides the subjects; they are wounded but alive, much like Belarus itself.
I believe that through our creativity and self-expression, we can inspire change and honor the victims of injustice.
ABOUT ME
Darya Siamchuk, 33 years old, born in Grodno, Belarus.
Why "Cemra"? This Belarusian word translates as "darkness". In my conceptual art, I explore the dark and painful aspects of human nature. My aim is to confront the critical issues of our time and to discover a vivid, emotional mode of expression.
Solo exhibitions
2023 – LAZARET, Beseder Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic
2023 – LAZARET, Museum of Free Belarus, Warsaw, Poland
2021 – AESTHETIC PAIN, A&V Art Gallery, Minsk, Belarus
2020 – CEMRA, Art-Belarus Gallery, Minsk, Belarus
Group exhibitions
2023 – Where am I. Exhibition of contemporary Belarusian art, Montenegro European Art Community Gallery, Budva, Montenegro
2023 – Who Owns the Land: Art as agent of expression conflict, statelessness, diaspora, coloniality, THE PINNA Gallery, exhibition online, London, England
2021 – The Autumn Salon, National gallery Palace of Arts, Minsk, Belarus
2020 – Art-Minsk the international art festival, National gallery Palace of Arts, Minsk, Belarus
2019 – The Autumn Salon, National gallery Palace of Arts, Minsk, Belarus
2019 – Triennial of Young Artists, National gallery Palace of Arts, Minsk, Belarus