This project was created for TurnPark Art Space in Western Massachusetts. We have been discussing beautiful airborne fishes, magic and fun creatures adding to the atmosphere of the Park. This discussion took place around the beginning of February.

The creation of the first fish started on February 17th. I have been browsing the online images and found some fish with a shape I liked and took it for a prototype. While the Fish#1 was being born the whole World has changed. Being half Russian/half Ukrainian I have never experienced anything like this before.

I was painting the second side of the fish in tears, on 24th of February. I have realized that it is yellow and blue and... black. While I was painting the white happy flowers the bombs were landing on Ukraine. I couldn't read the news anymore - and drawing the flowers over the explosions has put me in some sort of blissful trance. (much later into the War I saw the images of the flowers which Ukrainians were drawing over the bullet holes in their fences. This immediately brought me back to the day of painting the second side of the Fish#1)

The snow has fallen overnight and I suddenly realized that the name of the fish I have chosen for the prototype was The Trigger Fish...

Fish#1 - The Trigger Fish (Рыба-Триггер)

Since then the project has changed inevitably. Each fish has some meaning. There were a lot of coincidences - for example with Fish#3 I chose the fish, read it's name and immediately understood why it came to me and which flowers are to be drawn on it. My life was filled with crazy magical realism, which actually helped me to stay sane. My husband also said that the presence of the fishes in the house has helped him tremendously.

So I will just post the images, names and short explanation for each of them.

Fish#2 - The Fish of Ukraine (Рыба Украины)

The prototype is the Sun (or Moon) Fish, it's bearing a huge Sunflower, sending love and hope to the people of Ukraine.

Fish#3 - The Fish of Remembrance (Рыба Памяти)

 

The prototype fish is the Angel Fish, it's covered with forget-me-not flowers.

Fish#4 - The Peace Fish (Рыба Мира)

The prototype is The Gem Tang fish. "The Gem Tang is one of the most prized specimens of all saltwater fish for its striking color and contrast, and is also one of the most desirable Tangs for the reef aquarium" It's beautiful, but expensive and really hard to get... It's also black, which I found to be appropriate. The flowers are apple blossoms, symbolizing Peace in some interpretations. 

Fish#5 - The Fish of Russian Opposition (Рыба Русской Оппозиции)

The prototype is the Butterfly Fish. "In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state" (Wiki)

The fish is covered in cornflowers which have a strong association with Russia for me. And the colors are the colors of the Flag of Russian Opposition.

The fishes are now installed in TurnPark Art Space. They float in the air in the beautiful green space. If you have a chance to visit the park (which is truly amazing) - say hi to them!

"Beauty will save the World" - Dostoevsky.