'Tea Time' — Ksenia Shinkarenko

Artist Statement

My work centres around how everything interacts with its surroundings, always shifting and evolving. I find inspiration in those immersive moments when nature and the world we shape feel aligned, when things fall into place in a way that just makes sense. These connections reveal patterns that naturally find their way into my work. My process moves between structure and transience. I work with natural fabrics, plant-based dyes and botanical elements that already hold traces of time and place. I usually start with a composition in mind, and the materials respond in their own way, often settling into something unexpected. That mix of control and organic movement keeps the process alive. I’m drawn to surfaces that invite touch and hold warmth like cotton, bamboo and hessian. They shift with the light absorbing it in a way that makes them feel grounding yet ever-changing. At its core, my work is about unity and connection, creating space to slow down and engage with what’s beneath the surface. In the end, it all comes back to how everything is linked, constantly shaping and responding to one another in ways we don’t always notice.

Theme: SCALE

I’ve been thinking about how the way we experience nature changes depending on where we are, how our sense of safety affects that connection. When you're alone in a vast landscape, on a hike for example, there's often a feeling of vulnerability. You feel in tune with nature, but that connection can slip away quickly with the instinct to stay alert. When you observe nature from a protected space, the experience can feel calmer and more immersive. I noticed this in Japan, sitting in a tearoom with a slightly open window looking out at the garden. That small, framed view created a sense of intimacy with the outdoors that I might not have felt standing in the middle of it. I started noticing the shifts in light, the stillness, familiar details, but in a way that felt slower, almost meditative. That feeling stayed with me, and I see it reflected in my work ‘Tea Time’ through composition and scale. Working within a set size for this exhibition reminded me of a similar idea. That constraints don’t just limit what we see, they shift how we experience it. By working within a defined space, I want to invite the viewer into that same kind of relaxed and intentional connection with nature.

— Ksenia Shinkarenko, Bentleigh East, VIC