SOLO SHOW
Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto
Inspired by Ukrainian folklore, architecture, and stitch symbology, Shevchenko aims to innovate a new kind of embroidery technique where an image no longer appears static. The familiar becomes a blur, aspires to crawl out of existing boundaries, or settles itself amongst inky black silhouettes of beasts and foliage. What once seemed clearly definable now takes on a life of its own as outgrowth, material compound, landscape, or body. Shevchenko’s tensioned works think about the way motifs respond to the diasporic journey, testing if they can turn obsolete or stand as testaments to time.
If we push a cultural motif beyond its designation, we start to postulate on its role in an increasingly shifting world. The mind begins to look for patterns, and uses glimmers of familiarity to construct new interpretations. Suddenly, tradition becomes a mysterious instigator behind stories thought to be impossible, and begins to build a framework for future possibilities.
Leshii, 2024, hand-dyed linen on landscaping fabric, 14" x 36"
The Kiss, 2024, embroidery on canvas print and asparagus stem, 12" x 16"
Lost Signal, 2024, hand-dyed linen, polymer, on landscaping fabric, 12" x 16"
Vtecha (The Escape) 1, 2024, hand-dyed linen on landscaping fabric, 12" x 16"
Vtecha (The Escape) 2, 2024, hand-dyed linen on landscaping fabric, 12" x 16"