In anticipation of Tribul's auction featuring Zhuk's Portrait of a Stranger, we sat down with the artist to discuss her life, career, and unique creative process.
Alexia Wright: You grew up in a house of artists and started creating art from a young age. You have mentioned keeping some of your childhood drawings. What significance do these works hold for you?
Zhuk: They are all preserved by me as embodiments of the joyful time of childhood, which I was fortunate to experience among accomplished artists—members of my family. All the warmest feelings and the cozy atmosphere from my childhood that I feel when holding my drawings take me back to the carefree moments of that time.
AW: Although you never met your grandfather, his artwork allowed you to connect with him. What does this suggest about the power of art to bridge generations and convey personal histories?
Zhuk:
Through his works, I have the opportunity to see the world through his eyes, to understand the colors in which he perceived everything around him, what he emphasized in his compositions, and what he left outside of the frame.
For me, observing the technique of each brushstroke in his works is the most valuable education and legacy. All of this exists outside of time, and I strive to achieve that level of mastery.
AW: You have delved into music and painting as forms of creative expression. How do these two mediums differ in what they reveal about you, and how do they nurture different aspects of your creativity?
Zhuk:
For me, music and painting are inseparable, as music can inspire something visual, seeing something can inspire one to listen to or even perform music.
From the inception of a work of art, my entire creative process is accompanied by music, with varying styles depending on the mood I want to convey in the painting and the state I am feeling.
Zhuk and Sax
AW: From visiting the Venice Biennale to presenting your own work there, what was your journey like in making this transition? How did your initial visit shape your determination to be featured as an artist?
Zhuk: During my visit to the Venice Biennale, I devoted most of my time to music. Immersed in the atmosphere of the event for over a week, I was deeply inspired by the visions of artists from around the world and felt that I had something visual to share with the audience. I wanted to express my emotions and messages through my works and offer a sense of lightness and elevation to each viewer, as I believe that art, above all, should carry light, regardless of the meaning embedded in the story of the artwork.
Zhuk at Venice Biennale
AW: You have highlighted the role that support plays in giving you energy to accomplish important things in life. What type of support has been most significant for you?
Zhuk: The faith, care, and love of my close family members are the foundation that energizes me to keep moving forward. I also want to highlight the support and motivation I receive from the audience's reactions to my artwork. I receive kind words, positive vibes, and unique stories from people from around the world who share their impressions of my art with me. This makes me feel especially inspired to continue creating and dedicating my life to making art.
AW: You are blending classical painting with digital art to create a bridge between two worlds. Why is it important for you to have your artwork exist simultaneously in both realms?
Zhuk:
Living in parallel across both the physical and digital worlds is an integral part of life today. I believe that, for a modern artist, being active in both of these spaces is key to staying relevant.
I’m also glad that my art, like myself, doesn’t change between these worlds—both my work and I remain the same, no matter where we are. I see this as a reflection of being honest with my audience and staying true to myself.
Spes (7 Virtues)
AW: You are most recognized for the underwater scenes in your work. What accounts for your enduring interest in this subject matter?
Zhuk:
Water is the source of everything. Our planet is mostly water, we are made of water, we are born in it, and we need it throughout our lives.
I am glad that I have been able to incorporate this powerful element into my creativity.
The Nereids
AW: The work you are auctioning with Tribul is dedicated to the image of a stranger, someone who could have been more than just a passing figure in our lives. How did you choose to represent the “stranger” in this portrait?
Zhuk: I love observing what is happening around me when I am in different places during my travels. I often find myself thinking that all these people are living their lives, with their own stories, views, and goals. Yet all of it remains unknown as we simply pass each other by.
My artwork is an attempt to focus on one of these images, capturing a moment in time.
Portrait of a Stranger
AW: The fleeting nature of time seems to be one of the central themes of this work. How does the role of time influence the emotional tone of this work?
Zhuk: Time is the most valuable thing we have. Every event, experience, effort, and project, I measure against the timeline, as time is an irreplaceable resource that we all have in varying, yet unknown, amounts.
In this artwork, as in all my pieces, I focus on creating a sense of stopping time within the scene. In doing so, I try to preserve that moment despite the inevitable passage of time.
AW: How have your experiences with fleeting encounters shaped your understanding of missed connections?
Zhuk: I have often found myself learning about people I have only briefly encountered, discovering that their fates, worldviews, and personalities were similar to mine. This always leads me to reflect on what might have happened if we had met under different circumstances or at another time, perhaps it could have affected both of our lives.
AW: How would you like the viewer to engage with the subject and the themes of connection when looking at this piece?
Zhuk: I have one goal with all my artwork, to make the viewer feel a warm, uplifting feeling and to share a part of myself and my life reflections. This connection between me and the viewer is very important, and I cherish it deeply.
Pieta
AW: Your works often depict naked bodies in underwater scenes. How do you ensure that your subjects convey artistic depth that extends beyond physicality?
Zhuk: The characters in my work serve as human forms, inviting viewers to project themselves onto them and feel the atmosphere and emotions I aim to convey through the canvas. I depict naked bodies because that is how we enter the world, naked and surrounded by water. By doing this, I try to remove the material and everyday layers of life, leaving nothing but pure feelings.
AW: How do you select the figures that you portray in your art, and what is their relationship to the meaning of your works?
Zhuk: The images in my artwork depend on the idea behind them. Once I have defined the central mission of my new piece, human figures form in my mind in a very specific way. At that point, all that is left for me to do is to depict them as I envision them.
The Three Graces
AW: What motivates you to create physical work on such a grandiose scale?
Zhuk: I love a big brush span :).
AW: If you had to select one of your works that best represents you as an artist, what work would you choose and why?
Zhuk: From my very first work, each piece has represented me as an artist; there is always a part of me in them. On that basis I can't pick just one. I am so happy to dissolve into my art and share it with others.
Gaelle
Zhuk is an artist known for her innovative fusion of classic figurative painting and digital art. Growing up in a family of artists, she explored her creativity from a young age, drawing inspiration from her childhood experiences and the legacy of her grandfather’s artwork.
Music plays a significant role in her creative process, often serving as an emotional backdrop that inspires her visual expressions. By intertwining these two mediums, she crafts works that evoke strong feelings and form meaningful connections with viewers. Her paintings explore the theme of water, utilizing fluid forms and dynamic movements to convey a sense of serenity and transformation.
Alexia Wright is the Head of Social Media and Marketing at Tribul, combining her passion for art with her expertise in content creation, community management, and stakeholder relations. Alexia holds a Master of Arts degree and has extensive leadership experience. She enjoys keeping her pulse on the latest art news and trends in web3.