April & August

For Marina, art has always been a means of translating her inner feelings and thoughts into a tangible form. It’s about meaning and reasoning, about capturing the essence of her experiences in ways that resonate with others. "August" and "April" were created not only as visual representations but also as auditory ones, incorporating song lyrics that deepened the emotional connection to the pieces.

Each artwork was paired with music that helped convey its emotional core. "August" was accompanied by the lyrics from Elis Noa's "Make me Think of you", while "April" featured Sevdaliza's "Human". The names of the artworks reflect the months when they were started—August in 2020, and in April 2021. 

“August" marks the beginning of a significant emotional chapter for Marina. Painted during a period of personal turmoil and the aftermath of difficult relationships, the artwork reflects a raw, emotional intensity. The face depicted on the canvas conveys a sense of anger and confusion—emotions Marina was grappling with after leaving certain relationships behind.

In contrast, "April" portrays a face that exudes strength, confidence, and clarity. Created during a time when Marina regained her sense of self and power, "April" represents a turning point in her life—when she found the courage to move forward and fight for her own happiness. It took Marina two years to finish both artworks. 
 

Following the start of the war in Ukraine just weeks before the exhibition, tears and eupalettes added additional meaning to Marina's works. The grief and fear experienced by the women of Ukraine were reflected in the tears of both artworks, while the heavy eupalettes symbolized the strength and courage women had to muster during the war. Later in 2023, Marina painted two more works, "Stefania" and "Solomiya", both featuring tears running down the canvas in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

To deepen the viewer’s experience, the artworks were paired with headphones at the exhibition, allowing visitors to listen to the music while engaging with the visuals. This immersive element was designed to create a more personal connection with the art, inviting viewers to experience both the emotional depth of the artwork and the resonance of the lyrics.

For Marina, the most profound moment came when visitors were visibly moved by the combination of the artwork and music. Many were brought to tears as they found personal connections to the emotions conveyed in "August" and "April". Witnessing such an emotional response was both humbling and powerful for Marina—it marked a pivotal moment in her artistic journey, confirming that her work had transcended her own experiences to touch the hearts of others.

The exhibition at World Art Dubai, with its immersive elements, became a defining chapter in Marina’s career, reinforcing the power of art to communicate not only through visuals but through sound, emotion, and shared human experience.