Interview with Oksana Zhukova (Sky) Conducted by Eva Petropoulou Lianou

# Interview with Oksana Zhukova (Sky)

Conducted by Eva Petropoulou Lianou

### 1. Oksana Zhukova, can you tell us about your childhood and what you were like as a child?

I was born in the south of Ukraine—a land of light, wind, and open horizons. My childhood was deeply connected with imagination and inner freedom. I was a sensitive, observant, and dreamy child. I loved stories, poetry, clouds, and the sky, and I often lived simultaneously in reality and in my own inner world.

Even then, art was not a hobby for me but a way of understanding life. I perceived the world symbolically, intuitively, and emotionally—qualities that later became the foundation of my artistic language.

---

### 2. You grew up in Ukraine and later moved to the United Kingdom. Were you inspired by these countries?

Absolutely. Ukraine gave me my roots—lyricism, emotional depth, and inner resilience. It is the land of my childhood, my language, and my first dreams.

The United Kingdom gave me wings. Living in London expanded my worldview, opened space for multicultural dialogue, and allowed me to realise myself as an artist, poet, and cultural mediator.

Today I am inspired by many countries—I consider myself a citizen of the world.

---

### 3. Do you consider yourself more a poet or a painter? And what role has journalism played in your life?

I do not separate poetry and painting—they are two languages of the same thought. I am both a poet and a visual artist, and my authorial project *Poetic Illustrations* exists precisely at the intersection of word and image.

Journalism played an important role in my life. It taught me responsibility for the word, discipline, and the ability to listen and observe deeply. Years of work on television and in print media shaped my understanding of culture as dialogue and gave me the tools to create and develop international cultural projects.

---

### 4. Why did you choose the name *Sky*? What role does nature play in your artwork?

*Sky* is not merely a pseudonym; it is a concept and a destiny. The sky symbolises freedom, infinity, hope, and faith in light. I paint the sky and everything connected with flight—both physical and spiritual.

Nature in my works is never decorative; it is symbolic. Flowers, stars, shells, birds, and clouds become a language through which I speak about harmony, peace, the Universe, and the human soul.

---

### 5. Can you tell us about your projects? Are you planning anything for 2026?

My key projects include the international public cultural diplomacy initiative *ArtMedia Tour: We Are Together*, the multilingual magazine *ArtMedia. Painting with Words*, and my long-term authorial project *Poetic Illustrations*, which recently celebrated its anniversary.

In 2026, I plan to continue international exhibitions, develop new painting series, and create cultural dialogue projects that unite people through art, poetry, and the idea of peace.

---

### 6. Can you tell us about your painting? What are your favourite colours?

I work in the direction of **subjective symbolism**, within an authorial genre that I call **“fairytale reality”**—a space where the real world unfolds through symbols and metaphors, and the ordinary transforms into the poetic and magical.

My favourite colours are **the colours of the sky, the sea, and the pink lake**—deep blues, azures, turquoises, and luminous pinks filled with light and a sense of openness. I often use contrast between darkness and radiance, consciously covering darkness with light, because for me art is a territory where hope, goodness, and light always prevail.

---

### 7. What does poetry mean in your life?

Poetry is my breath. It accompanies me in silence, travel, joy, and pain. In my book collection *I Know How to Fly*, poetry becomes a bridge between reality and fairytale, between the personal and the universal.

It is a way to heal, to remember, and to give hope.

---

### 8. Your wish for 2026?

My wish for 2026 is simple and profound: peace.

Peace in the sky, peace in the world, and peace in human hearts. I believe art can unite people and remind us how to fly—without fear, with love, and with faith in a bright future.

***Oksana Zhukova Sky

Is coming to Greece in February for a Solo Art exhibition

Gallery Behraki

Korinthos

Krokida 1

Greece