The title of the exhibition refers to intimacy. After 2 years of war, it is still possible to find security in the gentle presence. Silent defiance. Subtle stubborn resistance. Unity with all one's heart. The works are hand-sewn wall hangings made of wool and acrylic. They are interconnected as a series to create an imaginary world that reflects the daily reality of artists dressed in the warm attire of intimacy and companionship. When it all comes down to it, it's the little things that make a difference. And when the world's attention is no longer on what's happening in Ukraine, it is necessary to hold onto the ground and secure the foundations. At the exhibition, people are encouraged to come together, touch, hug, and find warmth in the time that the artworks signify.
Comfortable Universe
Warmly Comfortable
Works
The couple Óskar Hallgrímsson and Mariika Lobyntseva form the duo Comfortable Universe. The works were created in Ukraine after the Russian invasion, specifically in their studio in downtown Kyiv.
Óskar Hallgrímsson graduated from the Iceland Academy of the Arts in 2015 with a B.A. degree in Graphic Design. He has also worked as a photographer for the past 18 years, in Iceland, worldwide, and in the last month during the war in Ukraine. He has published three photography books and participated in numerous exhibitions, including a solo exhibition at Gallery Port in the summer of 2019 titled "Hello, love you forever." Óskar has also worked as a journalist and photographer in the war since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Mariika Lobyntseva graduated from Odessa Grekov Art College in 2014 with a degree in painting. She completed a degree in art therapy from the PLINE center in psychology in Kharkiv, Ukraine. She continued her studies in the art department of the Kyiv Academy of Media Arts, graduating in 2018. Mariika lives and works in Kyiv and Iceland alternately. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions and held solo exhibitions throughout Ukraine, in addition to working as a freelance tattoo artist.
