{"id":2580,"date":"2025-10-21T23:28:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T20:28:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/?p=2580"},"modified":"2025-10-21T23:28:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T20:28:23","slug":"rozmova-z-nataliyeyu-korf-ivanyuk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/en\/interview\/rozmova-z-nataliyeyu-korf-ivanyuk\/","title":{"rendered":"Conversation with Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/creators.spotify.com\/pod\/profile\/magicworld\/embed\/episodes\/--e38112q\/a-ac59hi1\"> <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk on love, art, and life\u2019s greatest value \u2734 Archetype of the Nation\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/3omdTdyuqSMSpCVM2lsu2E?si=C3-L-yz9QdiXgJzsLrnm-Q&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guest of the episode: artist Natalia Korf-Ivanyuk<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk on love, art, and life\u2019s greatest value \u2734 Archetype of the Nation\" width=\"1102\" height=\"620\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/e0MscFGTmic?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript of conversations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Hello! I\u2019m Nik Lysytskiy, and this is <em>Archetype of the Nation<\/em> \u2014 a cultural project that explores the foundations of Ukrainian national identity: what we were, what we have become, what we have, and what we can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We look for answers in folklore, as well as in conversations with prominent representatives of our nation. Today, our guest is artist Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk. Hello, Nataliia!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Hello, Nik!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Each episode of our project focuses on a particular value that defines the Ukrainian people. And today, we\u2019d like to talk about one of the most universal values \u2014 love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let me make a small remark, especially for our viewers and listeners. Usually, we don\u2019t explain why we invite certain guests to talk about specific values. But when it comes to love, there\u2019s a nuance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In my opinion, almost anyone can talk about love \u2014 as sensual love, as the bond between a man and a woman \u2014 because it\u2019s a deeply personal story, something everyone experiences. But to speak about love as a value, as a universal human and cultural phenomenon, can truly be done only by a poet or an artist. Since we already had a poet in one of the previous episodes, today we\u2019d like to explore this value with you \u2014 as an artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Thank you very much. I\u2019m really happy you invited me to talk about love. And I think it\u2019s no coincidence, because any art is already an act of love \u2014 a projection of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To me, this is something divine. If you don\u2019t fill your creative process \u2014 your canvas, your inner world \u2014 with love, if you don\u2019t transmit that feeling through paint, the viewer simply won\u2019t understand it. They won\u2019t feel it as they should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve always believed that only what\u2019s truly lived through \u2014 what\u2019s genuinely felt \u2014 has the right to be depicted on canvas. Because a painting is always a dialogue \u2014 a kind of nonverbal conversation between the artist and the viewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you enter a gallery, a museum, or an artist\u2019s studio, you can sit in front of a work \u2014 ideally alone \u2014 and begin that dialogue. You can ask questions or find answers within yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if the artist\u2019s message wasn\u2019t sincere, if it wasn\u2019t born out of feeling \u2014 and therefore, out of love \u2014 then the work is empty. It might be beautiful, trendy, or visually striking, but it won\u2019t touch something deep inside you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To me, love is something you feel \u2014 as Beethoven said \u2014 right here, in your chest. When something stirs inside you, almost physically. Maybe it\u2019s not the most poetic expression, but you should feel it in your gut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s when it\u2019s a perfect work of art. When I go to a gallery or museum and don\u2019t feel that inner resonance \u2014 that reflection \u2014 I simply move on. There has to be that spark inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just like when you get butterflies in your stomach from someone you love, or from a special encounter \u2014 it\u2019s the same with painting. It\u2019s that same flutter, that same energy of connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Today, we\u2019d like to explore with you the phenomenon of love \u2014 affection, Ukrainian love \u2014 and whether it can somehow be distinguished from the universal one.<br>And as always, we\u2019ll begin with folklore, because for each episode we analyze how a particular value is represented in traditional culture and then form a kind of definition or reflection based on it. These essays are available on our website \u2014 links are in the description of this episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s the thought we formulated about love:<br>In Ukrainian traditional society and folklore, love is not only a burning passion but also an ethical compass that demands devotion, sincerity, and trust. The worldview of \u201cliving in love\u201d continues to shape ideas about relationships and family in Ukrainian culture and remains part of that inner strength that helps us stay human even in the hardest times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nataliia, do you agree with this idea? What does love mean to you personally \u2014 how do you see it, how do you feel it today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> My grandmother once told me \u2014 when I got married, she said, \u201cThat\u2019s it, Natalka, you\u2019re married now. Go to bed late, get up early.\u201d That was her philosophy of family life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think that today, love is no longer just about passion or emotional frenzy. Now, unfortunately \u2014 and I really don\u2019t like to admit this \u2014 I often find myself inspired by the theme of war, even though I don\u2019t want to be. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I held an entire exhibition dedicated to that difficult period, the beginning of this new, painful era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But still, it has to be said: the war has made all of us feel the fragility of life much more acutely \u2014 and with that, the meaning of love has deepened. For me personally, as an artist and as a woman, I began to truly value time. I realized how fleeting life is, how every emotion has become heightened. And despite the fear, anxiety, and darkness, it\u2019s crucial to preserve our humanity and hold on to the fragments of happiness the universe gives us each day. If love exists, it must be protected and cherished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This idea \u2014 to \u201clive in love,\u201d as Ukrainian tradition teaches \u2014 is absolutely right. But we must also practice a kind of inner self-preservation, so we don\u2019t lose ourselves again in blind emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Artists have always paid extraordinary attention to the theme of love and romance. In Ukrainian art, one of the clearest examples for me is Fedir Krychevskyi, one of the founders of modernism and the first rector of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has a magnificent triptych called <em>Homeland<\/em> \u2014 three panels. The first part, <em>Love<\/em> (or <em>The Kiss<\/em>), is reminiscent of Klimt: a man kisses his beloved on the neck, a symbol of protection, of tenderness. The second panel, <em>Family<\/em>, feels fundamental \u2014 solid, warm, complete. And the third part, <em>Return<\/em>, shows a man coming home from war. The artist doesn\u2019t depict the farewell, only the reunion \u2014 the moment of return to family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To me, this work perfectly captures our reality today. Because since the full-scale invasion, so many families have been separated. The moments of farewell and reunion have taken on completely new meanings. Those brief, precious moments together must now be cherished more than ever \u2014 valued deeply, held close, and lived fully with the person beside you, especially in such difficult times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Tell me, please \u2014 what place does love occupy in your art? Because as far as I know, one of the main themes in your work is physicality. How does love manifest itself within that theme? Is it part of it \u2014 or perhaps a separate, overarching idea?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Yes, I\u2019ve always had several directions in my work. I\u2019m quite an active artist, and for some reason, I can\u2019t stay in one genre for too long \u2014 I can\u2019t just keep repeating the same series or path. So I\u2019ve always had two main creative lines that I follow. One is about intercorporeality \u2014 sensuality \u2014 the exploration of human psycho-emotional states through paint, through color, through texture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This series actually emerged during a period we all remember well \u2014 the quarantine. When, by force of circumstance, we were all confined within four walls and left alone with our emotions. Life became very simple: just an apartment, four walls, a mirror, and too much time to think. For me, that time became an immersion into myself \u2014 into my thoughts, my body, my desires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was during that period that the theme of nudity appeared in my art. Maybe because I was spending a lot of time alone \u2014 and sometimes friends would come to pose for me \u2014 but that isolation helped me rediscover a different femininity within myself. I began to feel freer, despite everything happening outside. I accepted myself, believed in myself. And that\u2019s when I created the series <em>And the Nudes<\/em>. Later came <em>Flesh and Blood<\/em>, which I consider one of my fundamental works \u2014 very important to me as an artist. It was exhibited at the Mironov Gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, another line in my art has always been connected to cultural heritage \u2014 our sacred, symbolic tradition. I work with signs, symbols, ornaments, and color semantics. I make carpets \u2014 textured canvases inspired by Ukrainian embroidery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like every artist, I reinterpret them through my own vision \u2014 modernizing patterns while staying rooted in tradition. We, as contemporary artists, must rethink and continue what our ancestors began. Our heritage is immense and deep \u2014 it\u2019s a treasure we can keep transforming into new, meaningful art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So even though the carpets and the theme of corporeality may seem very different, I feel organic in both. In one, I express myself as a woman \u2014 as an artist revealing sensuality. In the other, I connect with the spiritual essence of my culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I rarely paint faces, because I feel that faces make an image too specific. I want emotion to speak through color, through paint \u2014 for the brushstrokes and shapes to tell the story instead of the face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now I\u2019m working on a new series called <em>Disappearing in Color<\/em>. It\u2019s a total simplification in terms of detail \u2014 pure emotional space. I\u2019m still developing the concept, but I know it will mark a completely new stage in my evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You know, I never go to the studio without emotion. It\u2019s my golden rule \u2014 whatever happens, I go and work. When I feel bad, I\u2019m in the studio. When I feel wonderful, I\u2019m in the studio. Every day I devote myself to this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes it\u2019s not even about painting \u2014 it\u2019s about simply being there: alone with the canvas, mixing paints, washing brushes. It\u2019s already a sacred ritual. And of course, it\u2019s filled with love \u2014 because I love my work deeply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Honestly, the greatest sorrow for me would be if something ever prevented me from creating. When the war began, I started painting the very next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At that time, I only had watercolor paper and colored ink \u2014 no materials, nothing. I was in a basement, and I began a new series right there. Many artists couldn\u2019t work at all \u2014 I spoke with colleagues who felt completely paralyzed. But I experienced the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even in horror, I couldn\u2019t stop. For me, there are only two kinds of events in life \u2014 those that destroy me completely, making it impossible to work, and those that I can endure, survive, and transform through art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> I think many of our viewers and listeners will be very curious to hear about how your creative process unfolds \u2014 how you create, where your ideas come from, and how they evolve into your works. Please, tell us more about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Yes, that\u2019s creation. I really love that word. I often read Myroslav Dochynets, and he once wrote that <em>creativity is creation<\/em> \u2014 it comes from the Creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How do my processes work? I love working large \u2014 large canvases, large spaces. I paint freely, openly. But honestly, I don\u2019t like showing the process itself because it\u2019s deeply intimate. It used to be easier for me when someone was nearby, but now I prefer solitude \u2014 to go deeper into myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be honest, I don\u2019t even always feel like talking about art. As I said, I don\u2019t read much about it \u2014 I think instead. For me, the creative process isn\u2019t about work or hobby; it\u2019s about life itself. My studio and my everyday life are intertwined \u2014 it\u2019s all one continuous flow. I don\u2019t separate \u201cI\u2019m going to work\u201d and \u201cI\u2019m going home.\u201d I simply live this life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I work quickly, emotionally. Sometimes I can paint a large canvas in a few hours. I don\u2019t plan it out \u2014 it\u2019s pure emotion. On the contrary, when I work on something too long, it starts to lose energy. Artists call that <em>soaking<\/em>. You can see when a work has been reworked too much \u2014 the energy fades, the thrill is gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But those impulsive, spontaneous pieces \u2014 born from an emotional rush \u2014 that\u2019s where true love lives. That\u2019s where you find eroticism, aesthetics, sensuality. As Gustav Klimt said, <em>\u201cAll art is erotic.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I usually work big \u2014 two meters by one and a half, sometimes even larger. I paint on the floor rather than an easel. It\u2019s a technical thing \u2014 the paint shouldn\u2019t spread. Earlier in my career, I worked more traditionally, with an easel, sitting down. Now it\u2019s a mess of brushes, paint splatters, colors everywhere. I often throw brushes away or forget to clean them. But that\u2019s part of the freedom \u2014 my comfort, my energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The process might not look very aesthetic to an outsider. But what <em>is<\/em> aesthetics? The birth of a child \u2014 it\u2019s raw, bloody, painful, yet it\u2019s the birth of something beautiful, the birth of a universe. That\u2019s what creation feels like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have a special relationship with my works \u2014 I love them deeply \u2014 but the process itself is mine, completely personal. My studio isn\u2019t perfect; you can easily trip over a paint can. But that\u2019s fine. The main thing is the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also love working with models. It\u2019s fascinating to observe how a person changes when they enter the studio, not knowing what awaits them. When they undress, they reveal not just the body but their emotions. You can literally see how a woman frees herself \u2014 how she transforms, accepts herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you look at my paintings, you see what I see \u2014 that spark, that satisfaction, that inner \u201cwow.\u201d It gives me even more inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But when I work on my <em>carpets<\/em> \u2014 that\u2019s a different process. It\u2019s slower, more meditative. The act of creation begins long before the physical work \u2014 with sketches, with studying symbols and ornaments, from which I then compose the final design. The technical side is hard, almost physical labor. But it\u2019s fascinating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What I love most is that both painting and ornament-making are unpredictable. I go home never knowing what the result will be. It\u2019s always an experiment. I come back the next day \u2014 and it\u2019s completely different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes it\u2019s not at all what I expected, but that\u2019s the beauty of it. Like a blind kitten, you feel your way forward, not knowing where you\u2019ll end up \u2014 and there\u2019s a special thrill in that. The work keeps living, keeps changing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why every painting I create is unique. I couldn\u2019t repeat one even if I tried \u2014 because everything happens <em>in the moment<\/em>, in the process, alive and evolving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> In one of your interviews, you mentioned that you paint to the music of Vivaldi. Do you think something would change if you painted while listening to Ukrainian folk songs instead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> It would, absolutely. For a long time, I actually painted while listening to Dakh Daughters and Bozhychi \u2014 and those works were completely different. The thing is, whenever I come to the studio, I always choose a playlist for myself. I know exactly what I\u2019ll be painting, and for each series I have completely different music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For me, that\u2019s essential \u2014 the atmosphere in the studio. I can be in total chaos, surrounded by brushes and paint everywhere, but the music has to match what I feel, what\u2019s happening on the canvas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> So which works contained more love \u2014 those painted to Vivaldi or to Dakh Daughters?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> To Vivaldi \u2014 there was more suffering. To Dakh Daughters \u2014 definitely more love. And sometimes I put on Schnittke when I want to do something wild and intense \u2014 to pour, to splash, to go a little crazy. That\u2019s normal for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pop music? No, I can\u2019t. Only classical \u2014 always.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I even start to feel irritated if the music doesn\u2019t fit the work. Then I\u2019ll stop, wash my hands, throw away the paint, and look for something that matches my mood. It\u2019s that important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> <em>Archetype of the Nation<\/em> is created with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation and is published in various formats. Choose whichever you prefer \u2014 listen, watch, or read our episodes \u2014 and don\u2019t forget to share your thoughts in the comments, because in this project, every thought matters.<br>And, of course, subscribe to our pages and channels so you don\u2019t miss anything new. All the links are in the description.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You mentioned your carpets, which draw on traditional Ukrainian symbols. Among these traditional motifs, are there specific ones related to love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Yes, of course \u2014 many of them. There are symbols connected with fertility, family harmony, the birth of children. I\u2019ve even had families commission carpets specifically requesting those signs \u2014 certain symbols that serve almost like blessings for family happiness or the birth of a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In those moments, you start to feel a bit like a priestess \u2014 someone performing sacred work. It\u2019s not just craftsmanship; it becomes something divine. You feel responsible not only for the future of the piece itself but also for how it will live on in its new home, with its new family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Have you ever researched the origins of these symbols \u2014 where they come from? Perhaps from the Trypillian culture or later periods?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Right now, I\u2019m creating a new series of ornamental carpets inspired by Ukrainian Baroque. When I began to work with color, I realized that these patterns are so universal they could belong to many cultures. They\u2019re no longer purely Ukrainian \u2014 they\u2019ve expanded into something more global.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s a good thing. My first series was called <em>The Sign<\/em>. It was based on traditional Ukrainian embroidery \u2014 for example, the white-on-white technique typical of Poltava, or the more geometric motifs from Western Ukraine. Those had clear regional identities \u2014 each symbol specific to its place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But now, I want to explore something more universal. After all, our nation is incredibly rich and colorful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I once had a series called <em>Gates<\/em>. I loved that one. It was inspired by the painted gates you still see in Ukrainian villages \u2014 covered with swans, flowers, bright colors. I\u2019m from Kremenchuk, and when I drive home and see those gates still standing, it warms my soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was afraid they\u2019d disappear \u2014 replaced by something modern and soulless \u2014 so I captured them on canvas. I\u2019m grateful to those who keep repainting them, keeping them alive. That too is an act of love, very Ukrainian in its essence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then there\u2019s Maria Prymachenko \u2014 such bright, untamed colors, such love in her work. Despite her hardships \u2014 losing her husband, raising her son alone \u2014 her paintings radiate life. She\u2019s unique, inimitable. And yet, there\u2019s something of all of us in her art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It seems that our lives have been so hard that we compensate with color \u2014 we want to paint the world brighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I often ask myself, when I\u2019m feeling low, <em>what color am I now?<\/em> People think that if something is black and white or muted, it must mean inner turmoil. But I\u2019ve realized it\u2019s the opposite. When life is hard, that\u2019s when I crave more color \u2014 more light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The dark, heavy works \u2014 those appear when everything is fine, paradoxically. When I\u2019m at peace, that\u2019s when I can afford to paint in black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Love, in general, can probably be called one of the most popular and oldest themes in art. Why, in your opinion, has love always been the central theme \u2014 not only in art, but in creativity as a whole?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> I think it\u2019s actually quite simple. Love is something that touches everyone \u2014 something we all seek. It\u2019s emotion, it\u2019s the soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether it\u2019s painting, literature, or music \u2014 creative people are those who feel it most deeply. And that emotional sensitivity becomes the source of creation. I wouldn\u2019t say I\u2019m one of those artists who wait for inspiration, but the desire to create \u2014 that inner urge \u2014 is, in a way, a form of inspiration. That\u2019s why it\u2019s always been essential to humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In earlier times, artists explored love more directly \u2014 during antiquity, for instance, when mythological and religious themes dominated. Love was expressed symbolically \u2014 through cupids, flowers, colors. Every flower had a meaning, and that symbolism has survived through the centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, animals were also used as symbols: a dog meant loyalty. But in the 19th and 20th centuries, artists began to play with these meanings, reinterpret them. Take Manet\u2019s <em>Olympia<\/em>: instead of the traditional dog of fidelity, he placed a cat \u2014 which added an entirely different shade of meaning. It wasn\u2019t just a painting of a naked woman, but of a prostitute \u2014 and that small change transformed the symbolism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later, artists moved away from myth and religion entirely, turning instead to their own emotions. Love began to be shown through suffering, complexity, and introspection. The personal became universal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In contemporary art, the idea of love continues to evolve. Take F\u00e9lix Gonz\u00e1lez-Torres, for example, and his work <em>Perfect Lovers<\/em>: two clocks placed side by side, ticking in sync \u2014 a symbol of two lovers living in harmony. But over time, one clock begins to lag behind. If you don\u2019t wind it, it stops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a quiet metaphor: relationships need care. If you stop tending to them, they fall out of rhythm. I think Gonz\u00e1lez-Torres wanted to show not only that love requires effort, but that <em>time<\/em> is the most precious thing we can give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we are with someone, we should always say \u201cthank you.\u201d Even when we part, gratitude should remain: \u201cThank you for giving me your time.\u201d Because time is the most valuable gift \u2014 especially now, in this moment of war, when time itself feels fragile and sacred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> You\u2019ve just taken us on a fascinating journey through how love has been reflected in art \u2014 from antiquity to modern times. Can we say that love is, in fact, the driving force behind art?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Absolutely. And I believe it always will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No matter how much the world changes, how fast civilization develops \u2014 even if, as I sometimes fear, everything were to end tomorrow \u2014 love and art would remain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I often rewatch Ivan Mykolaichuk\u2019s <em>Dedication<\/em>, and there\u2019s a line I love: \u201cLove \u2014 alpha and omega, the beginning, the middle, and the end. You are the beginning, you are the end.\u201d To me, that\u2019s the essence of everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes I think that even the most terrible acts in human history can, in some strange way, be traced back to love \u2014 or to its absence. It\u2019s what we live for, what we breathe for. In the end, we leave everything behind \u2014 all possessions, all achievements. What remains is the love we gave and received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I think, when my time comes, I\u2019d like to be able to say honestly: I loved and was loved. I didn\u2019t lose that capacity to feel \u2014 even in a world full of chaos, distractions, and worries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To deny love would be almost blasphemous. Because love is the reason for everything \u2014 the reason we live, the reason we create, the reason we wake up each morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Art itself is love. All creativity is love. Music, painting, writing \u2014 even labor can be an act of love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might say, \u201cBut how can working in a factory or sweeping streets be love?\u201d Yet, if you look deeper \u2014 that work provides comfort for one\u2019s family, for the people one loves. That too is love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, yes \u2014 for me, love is always at the root.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> By the way, about wording \u2014 in Ukrainian, we have <em>liubov<\/em> (noun, \u201clove\u201d) and <em>liubyty<\/em> (verb, \u201cto love\u201d). When we were preparing this topic, we debated: <em>love<\/em> as a state or <em>loving<\/em> as an action? One feels more emotional, sensual, the other \u2014 broader, existential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How do you perceive these two? Do they carry different meanings for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Well, if you look at it \u2014 of course, yes. \u201cLove\u201d between a man and a woman is more about sensuality, it\u2019s something inward, passionate, emotional. But \u201clove\u201d \u2014 as in <em>to love<\/em> \u2014 can mean \u201clove for one\u2019s homeland,\u201d \u201clove for a friend,\u201d or other forms of affection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be honest, I don\u2019t always distinguish between the two. I allow myself to mix them; that feels more natural to me. I\u2019m not rigid about it \u2014 if it\u2019s \u201clove for a man,\u201d it can also be \u201clove\u201d in the broader sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For me, the word <em>love<\/em> carries more respect, acceptance, faith, and awareness. It has a kind of nobility to it. While <em>to love<\/em> feels more emotional, more fleeting \u2014 it\u2019s about passion, intensity, the thrill of the moment. Like painting \u2014 it\u2019s fast, emotional, gives you pleasure, a rush of joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But <em>love<\/em> \u2014 that already has something constant in it, something lasting. And I really like the phrase <em>unconditional love.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the way, may I ask a question too? Who do you think unconditional love is for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Traditionally, people say \u2014 for a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Yes, for a child, I think so too. Because unconditional love is what you simply <em>feel.<\/em> A child is a part of you \u2014 literally. And a man\u2026 well, he\u2019s someone separate, someone who may come from the outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> It\u2019s interesting, because in English the word \u201clove\u201d covers everything \u2014 love, affection, fondness \u2014 all in one. But in Ukrainian, we seem to try to divide it, to assign different shades of meaning. We have <em>liubov<\/em> and <em>liubyty<\/em>, and if we have two different words, maybe they reflect two slightly different concepts \u2014 even if they\u2019re close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve often wondered why that is. Why, at some point, they diverged \u2014 as if to express different layers of the same feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> It seems to me that our culture has always emphasized <em>duty<\/em>, protection, loyalty \u2014 love for one\u2019s land, for one\u2019s people, for one\u2019s friends. That was always the foundation. Intimacy and sensuality, meanwhile, were often left in the background \u2014 not forgotten, but secondary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In our nation, selflessness and defense of boundaries were seen as more important. And somehow, the inner, emotional connection between husband and wife received less attention. It was as if that part of love \u2014 personal love \u2014 wasn\u2019t as openly discussed, even though it\u2019s just as vital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think these two spheres \u2014 inner and outer \u2014 should exist in harmony. How you feel and act in your family directly shapes how you treat the world outside it. If there\u2019s imbalance within, there will be imbalance without.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So yes, both need care \u2014 equally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Let me remind our audience \u2014 today, in the studio of the <em>Archetype of the Nation<\/em> project, we\u2019re talking about <em>love<\/em> with artist Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ve already touched on mythological heroes \u2014 those from ancient times. And I\u2019ll share something interesting I once discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you know, I research mythology a lot \u2014 we already have almost a hundred episodes on our channel dedicated to Ukrainian mythological heroes, characters, and archetypes. And while studying them, I noticed something unusual: unlike Greek mythology, which has Aphrodite, Eros, and many deities of love, Ukrainian mythology doesn\u2019t have a goddess of love at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We have plenty of authentic mythological figures \u2014 those recorded in sources, not later literary inventions \u2014 and yet, none of them embody love. Maybe such a deity once existed but was lost to time. Or maybe she truly never existed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I keep wondering \u2014 <em>why?<\/em> Why don\u2019t we have our own Aphrodite, even though love has always been \u2014 and will always be \u2014 an inseparable part of our lives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Now that you mention it, certain symbols immediately come to mind. For me, for instance, when I think of <em>unconditional love<\/em>\u2014even though we said it usually applies to a child\u2014the first image that appears is <em>The Forest Song<\/em>. For me, Mavka is like our own Ukrainian goddess of love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, there\u2019s sacrifice, tragedy, pain\u2014but that\u2019s precisely why she symbolizes love so powerfully. It\u2019s love through self-sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then I also think of <em>Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors<\/em>\u2014our own Romeo and Juliet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Those are already later works, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Yes, but I\u2019m speaking about what comes from memory, from what shaped me. I\u2019m less concerned about the absence of a literal goddess of love, and more about the <em>symbols<\/em> that filled that role for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From childhood\u2014through school, through literature\u2014these stories were imprinted in me. They shaped my sense of beauty, humanity, and emotion. For me, for example, <em>Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors<\/em> was one of those turning points when I realized I wanted to become an artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I saw the film when I was about twelve or thirteen\u2014there was a TV broadcast for Ivan Mykolaichuk\u2019s anniversary. It aired late at night, and I remember feeling an overwhelming catharsis. For such a young mind, it was almost too much. The next day I started drawing\u2014painting, sketching\u2014every single day, without fully understanding why. That\u2019s when I realized this was my path. Something divine, something like a sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later, I was lucky enough to see <em>The Forest Song<\/em> performed by Raisa Dashkivska. She played all the roles herself\u2014she transformed from one character to another, changing her voice, her posture\u2014it was extraordinary. And again, I felt that same inner call, that same sense of destiny: that I had to continue this feeling of beauty, that I couldn\u2019t abandon it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That, too, was a form of love\u2014love that entered through art and transformed me. It gave birth to something new inside me, something I didn\u2019t yet understand back then, but that has guided me ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s never been a day when I thought I should do anything else. This is forever\u2014until my last breath, I\u2019m sure of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> You\u2019ve mentioned <em>The Forest Song<\/em> and <em>Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors<\/em>. Indeed, both in those works and in folklore in general, love is almost always tied to trials, tragedy, or deep emotional struggle. Why do you think love in Ukrainian folklore is so inseparable from suffering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> I think it\u2019s not only in Ukrainian folklore\u2014it\u2019s true of love everywhere. Love and suffering are inseparable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe that\u2019s what makes people feel deeply. It awakens empathy and resonance in us. When art carries pain, it reaches directly into your heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if a movie ends <em>too well<\/em>, I almost feel disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> You don\u2019t believe in happy endings?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Not really. Maybe it\u2019s not good\u2014I probably need to \u201cheal my nerves,\u201d as they say\u2014but I think many of us subconsciously expect tragedy. In life, of course, we want happiness. But in art, when everything ends perfectly, it feels less real. Either I don\u2019t believe it, or I simply don\u2019t get the emotional spark I expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> So love and suffering are like two poles between which human emotion moves?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Exactly. In life and in art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you look at a painting and know the artist\u2019s story\u2014know the pain behind it\u2014you feel it completely differently. Take Frida Kahlo, for example. We all know her difficult life and her turbulent relationship with Diego Rivera. That\u2019s why her paintings cut so deep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Or Kateryna Bilokur\u2014her loneliness, her struggles. Her flowers might seem peaceful, but they\u2019re filled with pain that almost screams from the canvas. Every blossom has a soul, a pair of eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If an artist\u2019s path were too smooth, the work would lose that energy\u2014that vibration that grips you. You wouldn\u2019t feel the same thrill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s how artists live\u2014we work on that fine edge, between emotion and exhaustion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I can often tell from a painting what\u2019s happening in an artist\u2019s personal life. You can see it in the color, the form, the rhythm. When someone\u2019s relationship ends, it\u2019s visible in the first new work they create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s not about gossip or surface changes\u2014like when people say, \u201cOh, she cut her hair after a breakup.\u201d It\u2019s deeper than that. You can feel it through color, through texture, through movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And yes, it\u2019s sad\u2014but it\u2019s also where the magic of art lies. Because pain, paradoxically, gives birth to brilliance. Suffering creates emotion \u2014 and emotion creates art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> So, in this sense, love becomes the driving force behind art \u2014 even unhappy love, maybe <em>especially<\/em> unhappy love \u2014 it fuels the artist\u2019s emotions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Unfortunately, yes \u2014 it\u2019s necessary. But at the same time, painting for me is also a kind of art therapy; it heals. When something goes wrong, I go to the studio \u2014 and through painting, I heal myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, I don\u2019t tell my viewers or collectors, \u201cThis piece came from a painful time in my life.\u201d No. The work must live on its own. But the process itself \u2014 the layering of paint, the act of holding the brush during difficult moments and continuing to create \u2014 that\u2019s what saves me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Love and suffering \u2014 both are essential. They\u2019re real emotions, part of being human. Life doesn\u2019t follow a single smooth script with a guaranteed happy ending. And maybe that\u2019s why we learn to value each fleeting moment \u2014 happiness, time, love itself \u2014 precisely because we know it can vanish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s like contrast: you can\u2019t appreciate sweetness if you\u2019ve never tasted salt. Night replaces day, joy follows pain \u2014 and it\u2019s in that balance, that constant motion between meeting and parting, that we truly <em>feel<\/em> love and remember it deeply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> From the viewer\u2019s perspective \u2014 or the buyer\u2019s \u2014 what do people gravitate toward more: tragic works or positive ones?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> It depends on the collector, of course. But generally, people prefer the positive \u2014 they want something beautiful on their walls, something that brings light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, I really value collectors who choose art not for decoration, but for truth \u2014 those who take with them a piece of the artist\u2019s soul. Such people look not just for beauty, but for authenticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, many still want something universal \u2014 something they can look at every day, that sets the tone for a new morning. And that\u2019s fine too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At home, I always change the paintings on my walls \u2014 I rotate them by mood. One month I\u2019ll hang one, then switch it for another. It\u2019s not always something cheerful or floral \u2014 I have landscapes, Ukrainian countryside scenes painted from nature, works in different styles and colors. But it always depends on the day, on how I feel. I sense when it\u2019s time to change something \u2014 and I do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> The female body plays a very prominent role in your work. Why do you think the female form so often becomes a symbol of love, tenderness, and intimacy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> I actually paint men too \u2014 there are male nudes in my work, though fewer of them. In fact, the last painting I finished in the studio \u2014 for a new exhibition \u2014 shows a man and a woman together. It\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve done such a large-scale composition like that. I\u2019m still thinking about the title, but I\u2019m happy with how it turned out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And since we\u2019re talking about love and eroticism \u2014 I once created a whole series of erotic works. But they were aesthetic, not vulgar. I never paint explicit scenes. For me, art must remain beautiful, refined. Even if it\u2019s sensual, it should have taste \u2014 it should be <em>delicious<\/em>, as we say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many artists are more open, even provocative, and that\u2019s fine too \u2014 everyone expresses themselves differently. But for me, it\u2019s always about aesthetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interestingly, I began that erotic series just before the full-scale war \u2014 literally a week before and then a week after it started. I thought people would criticize me: \u201cHow can she paint love scenes during wartime?\u201d But the opposite happened \u2014 those paintings were sold immediately, the same day I posted them on Instagram or Facebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They depicted couples in passionate embraces, painted in flowing colored inks \u2014 organic, fluid, emotional. And I realized how deeply people needed <em>love<\/em> at that time. It was like a lifeline, something to hold on to amidst chaos and fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">War is war \u2014 but finding peace within yourself, even then, is vital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for the female body \u2014 I think it\u2019s because I\u2019m a woman myself. I understand its inner language, its nuances. Through it, I can express love, pain, hope \u2014 everything. Every gesture, every curve, every brushstroke carries emotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe it\u2019s also because I\u2019m a mother. I feel my body not just as my own, but as something that has created life. That gives me a deeper understanding of how to portray women \u2014 not as objects, but as worlds of meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In some of my works, I\u2019ve painted pregnant women. For me, that\u2019s the ultimate symbol \u2014 mother, earth, creation, care. It\u2019s love in its purest, most selfless form \u2014 timeless, sacred, and alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> From what I hear, the attitude toward physicality in art \u2014 both from artists and audiences \u2014 seems to have become more open, more relaxed, closer to how it\u2019s been in the West for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Ukrainian folklore, though, love usually appears in a very chaste form \u2014 it\u2019s emotional, poetic, even painful, but rarely physical. And yet, if we look at real life, we know that traditions like the Kupala Night rituals were quite sensual \u2014 young men and women met, played, and the Church often condemned those practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So in life, physical love clearly existed, but in folklore it either wasn\u2019t recorded or was heavily sanitized. Why do you think that happened?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> I think, first of all, that every nation wants to leave behind its <em>cultural memory<\/em> \u2014 the most dignified, beautiful parts of itself. And that\u2019s normal. It\u2019s good that we at least know those other, more primal sides existed \u2014 but it\u2019s also natural that they weren\u2019t passed down in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I don\u2019t think it\u2019s something to condemn or to hide in shame. It\u2019s part of who we are. Those moments \u2014 the Kupala celebrations, the unrestrained, instinctive expressions of desire \u2014 they were real, and they had a right to exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But I think people chose not to record them because some things were meant to stay private, sacred, or simply beyond words. We pass on what we can explain to children \u2014 the rituals, the beauty, the traditions \u2014 but not necessarily what could confuse a young imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re hiding our true nature. It\u2019s just that those were ancient, pagan beliefs \u2014 connected to the cycles of life, fertility, and nature \u2014 and they were treated with reverence. Those rituals happened rarely, maybe once a year, and gave people a kind of release, a chance to express their wild, natural side before returning to everyday order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every culture has its \u201cskeletons in the closet,\u201d as they say \u2014 and that\u2019s fine. We don\u2019t need to erase them; we just need to understand them properly and present them wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, I\u2019ll probably go home today and tell my 14-year-old son, \u201cYou know, there used to be such traditions.\u201d I\u2019d like to study that topic more myself and hear what <em>he<\/em> thinks about it. Because I often talk to him about art and other things \u2014 he visits my studio, we discuss everything openly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I have doubts about a piece I\u2019m working on, I even ask him, \u201cNazar, what do you think? Do you understand what this is?\u201d And his answers are always honest and interesting. Children see things more sincerely, more freely. If something feels wrong, he\u2019ll tell me straight away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> And how does your son perceive nudity in your art?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Very naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes I ask him quite directly \u2014 \u201cDo you understand what this is?\u201d And he\u2019ll calmly say, \u201cYes, these are breasts, and that\u2019s a belly,\u201d \u2014 completely without embarrassment. Because he\u2019s grown up around it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He\u2019s often in my studio, he\u2019s seen how I work, he understands the process. I take him to exhibitions and museums \u2014 we look at paintings and talk about what he feels, which works he likes most and why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s important for me that he has <em>his own<\/em> opinion, not just mine. And I see that he\u2019s developing a good sense of artistic taste \u2014 an inner filter that helps him understand where a work is strong, where it\u2019s weak, and how to explain why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So yes, nudity isn\u2019t a taboo topic for us. When I paint nudes, I don\u2019t hide it. Sometimes I\u2019ll say, \u201cA model is coming today,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m going to a life drawing session.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, I don\u2019t take him with me then \u2014 but he knows what I\u2019m doing and why. It\u2019s part of my work, part of art, and part of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He\u2019s an artist\u2019s child \u2014 and for him, that\u2019s completely normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> You mentioned the different female images in your art. In folklore, too, there are various archetypes of women. In your opinion, how different is the image of a modern Ukrainian woman from those found in traditional folklore?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Today she\u2019s a warrior. I truly believe that the modern Ukrainian woman embodies the <em>archetype of a warrior<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ukrainian women have always been strong. They\u2019ve carried enormous weight \u2014 physical, emotional, spiritual. There\u2019s a saying: <em>\u201cThe father carries the world on his shoulders, the mother carries the home.\u201d<\/em> But I don\u2019t think that\u2019s true anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now the values have shifted. They\u2019ve blended into one another \u2014 and today we can say with confidence that it\u2019s the woman who carries <em>the whole world<\/em> on her shoulders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Men tend to focus on one task at a time, while a woman handles everything at once \u2014 home, work, emotions, survival. Especially now, in this world that\u2019s constantly changing, women have stepped forward again, as if returning to the era of the Amazons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We shouldn\u2019t underestimate them. A Ukrainian woman may look fragile or gentle, but inside she holds a force capable of sustaining both her home and the entire world. That\u2019s why, for me, the modern woman is above all \u2014 a <em>warrior woman<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that doesn\u2019t mean she doesn\u2019t want tenderness or protection. Of course she does \u2014 that\u2019s also her nature. But circumstances have forced her to take on so much more. Self-preservation, protecting her family, defending her country \u2014 that\u2019s become the priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a woman is an artist, that only adds another layer of strength. Because being an artist is not for the weak. It\u2019s a profession that constantly tests you \u2014 emotionally, financially, psychologically. It\u2019s a struggle: with yourself, with circumstances, with misunderstanding or rejection. And if, despite all that, you keep painting \u2014 you\u2019re incredibly strong in spirit. I deeply respect such people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I taught for a while, and I was a tough teacher. I never sugarcoated things. If something was bad, I said it directly \u2014 because that\u2019s how my own teachers taught me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I remember one of them \u2014 Dyachenko \u2014 during my student years in Kremenchuk. I brought him my drawings, full of confidence. He looked at them and said, \u201cYou don\u2019t know anything. You won\u2019t be an artist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If I had been weak, that could have broken me. But instead, it motivated me \u2014 <em>I\u2019ll prove you wrong.<\/em> That became my inner drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later, when I got married, another artist told me, \u201cThat\u2019s it, your career is over. Motherhood will stop you. There\u2019ll be no more exhibitions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I remember feeling so shocked \u2014 because that\u2019s not a sentence, it\u2019s a challenge. Yes, it\u2019s difficult, but it\u2019s not the end. And during my maternity leave, I held three or four solo exhibitions. I worked even harder than before \u2014 as if it were my last chance to create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, that level of intensity can be exhausting. Burnout for an artist is real \u2014 but I\u2019ve learned to treat it as part of the process. When your body says \u201cstop,\u201d you must stop. Even if it means just sitting in the studio, doing nothing, staring at the canvas. That, too, is art. Rest is also part of creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> If you compare your visual language with traditional folklore, what do you think they have in common in how they depict women?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> That\u2019s an interesting question \u2014 my visual language and folk tradition&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Maybe there\u2019s a connection between the images in Ukrainian folk songs and the images you create in your paintings?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Earlier \u2014 absolutely. My early works were directly based on folklore. I delved deeply into Ukrainian ritual songs, carols, beliefs, and traditions \u2014 and translated them into the language of painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had a whole series devoted to Ukrainian holidays \u2014 Yavdokha, Melanka, and others. I painted them all. But at some point, I realized something: the moment I looked at a blank canvas and already knew exactly how the finished work would look \u2014 the colors, the structure, the result \u2014 I understood that I\u2019d reached a dead end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you stop being curious about your own process, it\u2019s time to change direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s when I knew I had to move on to something different \u2014 to surprise myself again. I kept a few of those folklore pieces for myself, as a memory of that stage, but then I shifted to exploring new visual languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What still connects me to folklore, though, is color. Color is my bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I love red. I love bright, open colors \u2014 lively, bold, full of energy. Sometimes I tell myself, \u201cTry something calmer, pastel, muted.\u201d I admire artists who can work softly, letting white and light gray breathe through their palette. But it just doesn\u2019t work for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s not that I can\u2019t \u2014 it\u2019s just not <em>me.<\/em> My art needs to be vibrant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That explosion of color \u2014 that\u2019s what reveals that I\u2019m Ukrainian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I close my eyes, I see those folk gates with painted flowers, ribbons, embroidered cloth, pottery, festival banners \u2014 flashes of color everywhere. All that becomes my language on the canvas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m not afraid to use bold oranges, pinks, purples, yellows \u2014 even if it breaks the so-called rules of color theory. I used to teach color science, but when I paint, I don\u2019t think about it. I just let the colors \u201ctalk\u201d to each other. They find their own harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when they do \u2014 everything feels right, organic, alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So yes, even if my subjects evolve, the way I portray women, the way I see the world \u2014 it\u2019s still full of color. That\u2019s the thread that connects me to folklore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Unexpectedly \u2014 your answer is actually the perfect introduction to our traditional segment, <em>\u201cThe Folklore Chest.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because today\u2019s chest will be about color \u2014 and about folklore, of course, about Ukrainian folk songs. Inside it, there\u2019s always something related to the theme of our episode. And today we\u2019ll look at songs about love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But there\u2019s a small twist \u2014 some words will be missing. Behind those blanks, a color is hidden. You\u2019ll need to guess it. Shall we try?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Let\u2019s! Sounds interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Alright, here\u2019s the first one:<br>\u201cI honestly admit that I\u2019m in love with Roman. And he? I\u2019m fair-haired.<br>Let\u2019s get together, we\u2019ll make a pair. What color is our Roman?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Oh! Roman\u2026 hmm, if I don\u2019t guess, I\u2019ll just trust my intuition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> That\u2019s exactly the point \u2014 to go with your feelings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Then\u2026 black. He\u2019s black \u2014 though not literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> That\u2019s right \u2014 he\u2019s <em>black-haired<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Oh, really? That was my first thought! He\u2019s dark, I\u2019m fair \u2014 that\u2019s how it usually goes. That\u2019s how God pairs people: \u201cLet\u2019s get together, there\u2019ll be a pair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Alright, the next one: not so much <em>the girl<\/em>, but <em>her face<\/em>. &#8220;Give it to the girl&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> White face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> &#8220;Give me a beautiful hand, on the horse \u2014 a white face.<br>Over the sea, over the shore, three young Cossacks rode their horses.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Over the blue sea! Well, that\u2019s obvious \u2014 the sea is blue.<br>Actually, it reminds me of <em>Girl with a Pearl Earring<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You know, in the film about Vermeer \u2014 there\u2019s this moment when he tells her, \u201cWhat color is the sky?\u201d<br>And she says, \u201cBlue.\u201d And he says, \u201cNo, think again.\u201d<br>Then she starts to notice \u2014 it\u2019s gray, it\u2019s pink, it\u2019s yellow&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She begins to <em>see<\/em> the subtleties, that the sky isn\u2019t just blue.<br>And for me, the sea \u2014 it\u2019s even <em>blacker<\/em> than blue sometimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Okay, let\u2019s move on, otherwise I\u2019ll start drifting into my own world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> \u201cWhere will we spend the night, my beloved falcon?<br>There under the mountain, in the grass, my dear girl.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Green grass! Green, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Of course, green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> And yet, grass isn\u2019t <em>just<\/em> green&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> And the last one:<br>\u201cGreen leaves, chestnuts \u2014 oh, how sad it is when evening comes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Green leaves\u2026 I want to say brown or red chestnuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Actually, white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> White chestnuts? Unexpected.<br>Ah, right \u2014 when the chestnuts bloom white! Kyiv in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Exactly \u2014 Kyiv in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> I was picturing the fruit \u2014 brown chestnuts, green leaves&#8230; but yes, white blossoms, that\u2019s beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> And now \u2014 the Blitz interview. Seven quick questions, seven short (or not so short) answers.<br>What human quality do you value most?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> And the worst?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Cruelty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> What inspires you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> What scares you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> A phone call at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> What helped you hold on through the hardest moments?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> What\u2019s the main goal or mission of your life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> If you had to choose three words to describe Ukrainians?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Free. Sincere. Rich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not rich in money \u2014 rich in spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Rich in virtues \u2014 your own.<br>And now \u2014 our \u201cArtifact\u201d segment, where guests leave something behind for our small museum.<br>Natalia, please tell us what you\u2019ve brought today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Of course, it\u2019s my artwork \u2014 from my nude series.<br>At first I thought to bring a female figure, and then I thought \u2014 what\u2019s a woman without a man?<br>It should be a pair. So, it\u2019s a male torso \u2014 from my <em>Flesh and Blood<\/em> series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These pieces are painted in colored ink \u2014 emotional, vibrant, alive \u2014 especially rich in red.<br>That open, living red.<br>I\u2019ll be glad if they stay with you \u2014 a reminder of today\u2019s conversation,<br>full of love, passion, color, and paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Thank you very much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> We\u2019ll add it to our growing museum \u2014 with every episode, it expands.<br>And it\u2019s wonderful, because this way we collect not only objects,<br>but also values \u2014 and the memories of our guests,<br>who, in their own way, embody these values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> That\u2019s beautiful. That\u2019s exactly right.<br>That\u2019s how history is made \u2014 and how we create those tactile memories<br>we\u2019ll later recall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> For me, this whole project \u2014 and today\u2019s talk especially \u2014 is like assembling a puzzle.<br>We explore folklore on one side, and modernity through our guests\u2019 eyes on the other.<br>And discussing values isn\u2019t easy \u2014 it\u2019s abstract, but it\u2019s also deeply personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because yes, we talk about ourselves \u2014 our experiences, our feelings, our work, our relationships \u2014<br>but we\u2019re also trying to understand something universal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, it was love.<br>And I\u2019m not sure if we\u2019ve \u201cfigured it out,\u201d because it\u2019s always a creative process \u2014<br>like painting, building a picture of values as we speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But I hope we\u2019ve revealed at least a small part of what love and affection mean<br>for Ukrainians \u2014 in folklore, in art, and in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And I invite you, if you\u2019ve watched to the end,<br>to share your thoughts in the comments.<br>What is <em>love<\/em> for you? What is <em>affection<\/em> in the lives of Ukrainians?<br>How are they different? How important are they to us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What is the image of a Ukrainian woman \u2014 and a Ukrainian man \u2014 in the context of love?<br>Every opinion matters, because together, piece by piece,<br>we\u2019re assembling a fuller picture of who we are as a nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk: <\/strong> Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nik Lysytskiy: <\/strong> Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Friends, today in the studio of <em>Archetype of the Nation<\/em> we had the artist <strong>Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk<\/strong>.<br>Tell us in the comments what you found interesting or meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you think love is one of the essential values of the Ukrainian people?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can watch <em>Archetype of the Nation<\/em> episodes on YouTube,<br>listen on your favorite podcast platforms,<br>and read them at <strong>magicworld.com.ua<\/strong> \u2014<br>where you\u2019ll also find popular essays by folklorist <strong>Maryna Demediuk<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> and recordings of authentic folklore performed by renowned actors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thank you for being with us \u2014 and see you next time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Guest of the episode: artist Natalia Korf-Ivanyuk Transcript of conversations Nik Lysytskiy: Hello! I\u2019m Nik Lysytskiy, and this is Archetype of the Nation \u2014 a cultural project that explores the foundations of Ukrainian national identity: what we were, what we have become, what we have, and what we can be. We look for answers in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2430,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[125,120],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interview","category-love-en"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Conversation with Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk - \u0410\u0440\u0445\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0457 - \u043c\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0434\u0456\u0439\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0454\u043a\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0443 \u0456\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0438\u0447\u043d\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/an.magicworld.com.ua\/en\/interview\/rozmova-z-nataliyeyu-korf-ivanyuk\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Conversation with Nataliia Korf-Ivaniuk - \u0410\u0440\u0445\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0457 - \u043c\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0434\u0456\u0439\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0454\u043a\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0443 \u0456\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0438\u0447\u043d\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Guest of the episode: artist Natalia Korf-Ivanyuk Transcript of conversations Nik Lysytskiy: Hello! 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