Being part of the Heartlands multimedia performance at Cell Block Theatre, Sydney, was a true privilege and an honour. It was a project driven by an incredibly motivated and generous team — a real dream team — and the result was powerful. A person, who came up with the idea of this unique event never held in Sydney before, creative director and producer of Heartlands – Linda Gough.
For this performance, I created the artwork of a golden wheat field rising from black soil. Ukraine is often called the breadbasket of Europe, and its fertile land has long nourished not only grain, but literature, music, and cultural memory. This image became the visual heart of the event, reflecting both abundance and endurance.
Heartlands offered audiences a deep experience of Ukrainian culture through poetry, music, storytelling, food, and shared presence. To my knowledge, it was the most substantial Ukrainian literary performance ever staged in the Southern Hemisphere, and I am proud to have supported it.
My role extended across the full visual identity of the event. I created the key artwork used throughout all materials, designed print collateral including posters, programmes, and food signage, developed digital assets for multiple platforms, and contributed to stage design. During the performance, my artwork formed the visual backdrop on the large screen behind the performers, shaping the atmosphere of the evening.
Heartlands remains one of the most meaningful projects I’ve been involved in — a genuine fusion of art, culture, and community, and a reminder of how creative collaboration can carry both beauty and purpose.
Books have always felt magical to me. Unlike social media, they don’t disappear into a feed — they stay in your hands, on your shelf, and in your life. A book captures what’s important and preserves it for generations. And to make that experience meaningful, every detail matters. Over the years, I’ve worked on many publications — sometimes creating the layout, other times designing covers, illustrations, or managing the entire visual direction. One of my favourite projects was Taste of Ukraine, published by the Australian Publishing Company (sovabooks.com.au). I created the cover illustrations and the full layout — and the book went on to win the 2013 Gourmand World Cookbook Award. I’ve also worked with community organisations, including Ukrainians Down Under for AFUO, where I served as both editor and designer for their catalogue. Four Jubilee Book for Intersession of Holy Virgin Parish is one of the thickest and most comprehensive publication I’ve worked on to date. Each book is its own world — structured, tactile, permanent. And I love shaping those worlds so they’re clear, beautiful, and built to last.
In August 2024, more than 725 guests gathered at Sydney Town Hall to mark the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence, standing together in solidarity, pride, and unity. The event, organised by the Ukrainian Council of NSW, unfolded as a powerful theatrical performance sharing Ukraine’s history, culture, and resilience. I took part in the program through live sand animation, accompanying the story of Illia — a brave Ukrainian boy who shared his lived experience on stage. As Illia spoke in front of the audience, I illustrated his words in real time with sand, allowing the images to emerge and dissolve alongside his voice. The story was deeply moving — painful, yet filled with hope for a better future. Working with sand live on stage brings its own challenges. Under pressure, with nerves and lights, even something as simple as sand becomes unpredictable — warm palms, fine grains sticking to skin, moments that cannot be undone. But perhaps that fragility is exactly what made the experience so honest. Illia’s story was shared with remarkable courage. At just twelve years old, he stood before the audience to tell the truth of what he had lived through. A video of this performance is available, featuring Illia Kyrychenko, with sand animation by Tetiana Koldunenko, and script, direction, and filming by Kateryna Kyrychenko. It was an honour to be part of a moment where story, image, and human strength met on one stage.
