Category: 2024

Tania Stupnikova
Sorry, I have nowhere to go home to
Acrylic on canvas
60×60 cm
2024
Košice, Slovakia
Price: 595 EUR

I often reflect on the themes of refuge and emigration. Changing your homeland makes you incredibly vulnerable.
I haven’t seen much art that delves into this topic, but it’s something that deeply concerns me. We will never be able to live the same life, even when the war ends, and we will never truly belong here, no matter which country we choose. We can never fully return; there will always be a part of another country within us, an awareness that another life is possible. Our cozy bubble has burst forever, and nothing will ever be the same again. Even when the war ends.
Luckily, I adapt quite quickly. I really like Slovakia and the Slovak people; their mentality is very close to mine. The city of Košice reminds me of the Kyiv of my childhood, the Kyiv of the ’80s, still green and not marred by total overdevelopment.
But a part of my heart will always remain in Ukraine.

Tania Stupnikova
After another global extinction or thank you for freeing the planet for us
Acrylic on canvas
80×80 cm
2024
Košice, Slovakia
Price: 795 EUR

As a refugee from war, this issue is very personal to me. Fortunately, I haven’t witnessed the horrors firsthand, and my life remains largely intact except for my place of residence. My family is with me, my cats are with me, and nothing has been destroyed or lost.
Except for my pre-war life.
But my experience isn’t as traumatic as others, so I mostly worry about the larger-scale destruction, about my country. I understand the impact of war not just on people but on the land itself. On the environment, on animals, on entire ecosystems. I know that for many decades, perhaps even centuries, my homeland will be suffering.
This painting reflects my thoughts on what will happen if the war doesn’t end. Humans are not as resilient as we think; we depend on the earth, and we cannot afford to destroy it.

Tania Stupnikova
Take care of the cockroaches in your head
Acrylic on canvas
80×80 cm
2024
Košice, Slovakia
Price: 795 EUR

In our culture, we often say that strange people have cockroaches in their heads. While this might have been an insult once, nowadays it’s used to highlight someone’s uniqueness. People often say you should love the cockroaches in your head, meaning that these quirks make you special, make you who you are.
I had painted a piece on this theme before, but I wanted to create a more refined version. This new painting also has a subtle message that another artist pointed out: after we’re gone, our cockroaches remain. In my case, they will stay through my paintings, but everyone has their own cockroaches, and they will remain in their own way.