Displaced Ukrainian painter unveils debut Chisinau show
Ukrainian artist Hanna Kozeletska opened her debut solo exhibition at the National Museum of Romanian Literature in Chișinău, showcasing works inspired by the landscapes she discovered after relocating to Moldova in 2022.
Titled "Gardens of Moldova," the exhibition brings together vivid impressions of nature, light, and rural surroundings. Kozeletska, originally from the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, arrived in Moldova with her husband, sculptor Pavel Obreja, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The couple has since established a shared workshop in Valea Perjei, in southern Moldova.
Artistic renewal in southern Moldova
“This exhibition is about beauty, nature, plein-air painting, and uplifting emotions,” said Hanna Kozeletska. “I have lived and worked in Moldova, keeping a workshop in Valea Perjei in the south. I always create alongside my husband, Pavel Obreja. It is a fruitful time for us, for art, and for love.”
Her husband emphasised the expressive power of her visual style. “These works evoke only positive thoughts in me, not simply because Hanna is my wife, but because I truly admire what she paints and how she captures fleeting moments,” said Pavel Obreja. “She has a wonderful artistic vision.”
European heritage and folk traditions
Organised as part of European Heritage Days, the opening marks the painter's first personal exhibition. Both artists have historical ties to the venue, where Obreja has previously displayed his sculptural work.
“I am delighted this takes place at the National Museum of Romanian Literature, an institution consistently open to all forms of art,” said Museum Director Maria Șleahtițchi. “She depicts the gardens of Moldova, but her canvases also reflect imagery of her native Ukraine.”
Writer Irina Nechit noted the exhibition's broader emotional and symbolic resonance. “I was deeply moved by Hanna's story—a life marked by the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine—and it is a gift that her talent blossoms here in the Republic of Moldova,” said Nechit. “Her painting reassures us that art remains possible even in difficult times. Her sunflowers, symbols of Ukraine, are especially striking.”
Alongside the paintings on display, Kozeletska held a workshop on Petrykivka painting, an ornate Ukrainian decorative folk tradition originating from the Dnipro region that was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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