Backstage, 2026

Olha Symonenko  

Backstage is part of the artist's ongoing series Theater of One Artist, exploring the female image, theatrical gesture, and the transformation of the human figure into a visual symbol.
The composition focuses on a fragment of the female body: crossed legs in vivid translucent stockings and elegant dark high-heeled shoes. The absence of the face and most of the body shifts attention toward gesture, posture, color, and silhouette.
The contrast between saturated blue, soft pink, and white creates an almost stage-like presence. The dark shoes function as theatrical props, while the decorative pattern of the stockings introduces elements of fashion, playfulness, and subtle irony.
The figure exists within an intentionally ambiguous space marked by delicate concentric lines, suggesting theatrical curtains, shifting light, or traces of movement. The surrounding shadow further separates the figure from the background and reinforces the sensation of a stage.
The work explores femininity, the gaze, posture, and the transformation of an everyday gesture into a theatrical performance. The woman appears to exist through her constructed stage persona, becoming both performer and visual scenery.