“ Where Courage Begins", 2025

Halyna Kirichenko  

 Where Courage Begins" artwork from serie " Light between days"

In this artwork, Halyna reflects on the formative stages of a human life and the quiet moments when our inner strength first begins to reveal itself. Inspired by her own childhood photograph, the painting portrays a small, delicate girl in a pink dress standing between two flamingos—symbols of both fragility and graceful resilience. Despite her tender appearance, the figure radiates an unmistakable sense of determination, suggesting that even at a young age, the foundations of character and will are already present.

The facelessness of the girl transforms her into a universal archetype, inviting viewers to project their own memories, choices, and turning points onto her silhouette. The flamingos, positioned like guardians or silent witnesses, echo the duality of paths and decisions that accompany every stage of life. Their presence reinforces the idea that each person navigates challenges alone, yet always surrounded by subtle signs, intuitions, and possibilities.

Set against a deep, textured background that evokes both uncertainty and depth, the composition mirrors the questions that lie at the heart of Halyna's practice: How do we make our most important decisions? What shapes our inner voice? Could our journey have unfolded differently if we had chosen another direction?

Through this intimate but symbolically charged image, Halyna invites the viewer to contemplate personal resilience, the nature of choice, and the early moments in life when courage begins to take root—quietly, instinctively, and long before we fully understand it.

“ Light Between Days"

In her ongoing series, Halyna explores the stages of human life — moments of transformation, contemplation, and quiet revelation that shape our inner landscapes. Each work captures a fragment of this universal journey: the search for meaning, the experience of change, the delicate balance between action and reflection.

Through minimalist composition and symbolic detail, Halyna traces the rhythm of contemporary existence — where rapid change often challenges our sense of stability, and yet, within that movement, each person seeks their own center of calm. Her characters inhabit intimate spaces of thought and emotion, revealing how the ordinary moments of everyday life can become gateways to self-understanding.

This series reflects on how we navigate our choices, how we adapt and grow, and how we find beauty in the quiet intervals between life's transitions. Halyna's work speaks gently but profoundly about resilience, introspection, and the timeless human capacity to evolve while remaining true to oneself.