Interview
Andrej Babenko
Babenko is a Belgian visual artist of Ukrainian descent. His formative years were steeped in the influence of Soviet propaganda. During his early school years, Babenko kept a scrap book with the latest news from the newspapers Izvestij and Pravda. Using gouache, he made wall newspapers in which he incorporated his experimental photos. The small bathroom of barely five square meters functioned as an improvised dark room: photos were developed between the bath, sink, toilet and washing machine. Conflict and societal expectations marked his youth, reinforcing his sense of being an outsider. His artistic talent always played a crucial role in his life: on the one hand to escape reality and find peace and quiet, on the other to decipher reality in all its complexity, in and through the creative process. His travels through Russia and Ukraine shaped his artistic vision, culminating in his eventual migration to Belgium, where he honed his craft and embraced a diverse, innovative artistic approach.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I studied visual arts at the Karel de Grote Hogeschool in Antwerp, Belgium, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and the University of the West of England in Bristol. I landed my first job with Opera Ballet Flanders, where my paintings and drawings became an integral part of the institution’s visual identity. The raw emotion and humanity in my creations resonated deeply, leading to my work being featured in prestigious collections and sold at charity galas. I subsequently started my journey as an independent professional visual artist. My focus has always been undeniably on painting, but I have also performed in crossover projects with renowned artists such as Mauro Pawlowski, Dirk De Wachter and Aleksey Gorbunov in interesting venues such as Extra City (Belgium) the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art Ghent (S.M.A.K. Ghent, Belgium) and at the music festival Pukkelpop. My paintings have been displayed at renowned institutions such as S.M.A.K. Ghent, Dr. Guislain Museum (Ghent, Belgium), and M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art, Antwerp, Belgium) and are held in private collections worldwide, from the United States and Japan to Australia. I am listed in the Belgian Professional Artist Registry. I have always been immersed in art, in one way or another. My journey is deeply tied to my heritage, my experiences, and my internal struggles. I come from Ukraine, a land rich in history and contradiction, and this complexity is reflected in my work. My art is influenced by expressionism, mysticism, and personal mythology. It is both a product of my mind and an echo of the chaotic world I live in. I see myself as a creator, a storyteller, and sometimes even a conductor of energy - painting is not just a medium for me; it is a form of existence.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“I am an observer of human nature, and in my work you will find criticism of societal hypocrisies and the unrealistic pursuit of perfection in a digitalized world. My work challenges artificiality, advocating instead for a deeper sense of humanity. I explore existential themes and examine the cyclical nature of history, the survival of individuals in a fast-paced economic world, and the increasing rarity of peace and privacy. I try to transform my personal experiences - both of alienation and resilience - into universal narratives that invite viewers to reflect on their own existence. My work is a cry, an invocation, a challenge to a world infected by logic and materialism. The conflict between light and darkness, God and Lucifer, peace and war - it is all present in my paintings.
My recent works reflect the horrors of war in Ukraine, but they are also deeply personal. I create mental maps of the human condition, showing haunting images from my own experiences and the collective trauma of my people. The struggle between destruction and rebirth, between past and future, is a recurring theme. I paint not what I see but what I feel, and history, repeating itself, is at the core of my storytelling. In my works, I set off to war, and create conflict where I can. I like to think that I am a storyteller. I start from reality and focus on the essential and mythological. While my paintings are figurative and seemingly easy to interpret, they require attention to discern their different layers. People often say that there is so much to see in my work. And every time they look at it, they discover something new – a new element, or a different meaning than what they had in mind before. I use traditional elements of classical painting but mix them with grunge and conceptual aspects in a contemporary context. Also, the material I use ranges from classical oil paints to markers and graffiti. I try to show today what I believe is important tomorrow.
Hans Willemse, collection editor at M HKA, characterized my work as follows: ‘The special thing about his work is the striking synergy of styles and cultures. He is East and West, present and past, and somewhat ahead of his time. Unravelling origins, identity and artistic influences by different political-cultural backgrounds can only lead to new insights.’”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“My process is both intuitive and obsessive. At 4 AM, when most of the world sleeps, I find myself mixing colours, staring at my canvas, caught in a trance. It is like a form of meditation - visions come to me, and I translate them into paintings. Sometimes, I build on myths, reworking ancient stories into modern realities. Other times, I embark on a journey, physically and mentally, collecting impressions from nature, conversations, or my inner turmoil. My creative process is spontaneous, yet it follows an inner logic that I do not always control. I am held captive in the constant stream of images that come to me, day and night, out of which I make a mind map that reflects the fight between Lucifer and Light, their love and the birth of new mutations. On the other hand, there is the mundane side of my life. Okay, so what are we going to eat tonight? I am a contemporary artist; my work maneuvers on the edge of desires to be together in search of freedom and peace.”
“I like to think that I am a storyteller. I start from reality and focus on the essential and mythological.”
Are there any art world trends you are following?
“I am not following trends - I am creating them. My style blends old master techniques with modern urban elements like stencil and graffiti. I call it ‘new expressionism’ - a fusion of the past and the future, a reflection of raw emotion and energy. My works are considered like prayed-for icons, carrying energy and meaning beyond the canvas. The National Library of Ukraine and the Artists database of Flanders have acknowledged my contribution. I do not fit into predefined categories; I am carving my own path. My oeuvre does not have a clear homogeneity in the strict sense of the word. My style is diverse, as are the techniques I use. I incorporate traditional elements of classical painting together with grunge aspects into a contemporary context and combine them with modern techniques such as graffiti. Yet the combination of different styles and techniques forms one whole, just like life itself.”
What does your art mean to you?
“My paintings are my existence. Without them, I am like a bird without wings, like borscht without beets. They are my prayers, my screams, my love letters, and my nightmares. Through them, I confront life and death, chaos and peace, love and destruction. They are my connection to history, to my ancestors, and to the unknown future. My art is my salvation, my obsession, and my curse. My art is not about fitting in - it is about breaking boundaries. It is my plea for humanity, my way of preserving history, and my voice in a world that often refuses to listen. My head is constantly full of ideas and reflections about today’s society, about stories I hear from friends and about personal experiences and aspirations. It is a whirlwind that I cannot stop, which eventually finds its way into a new painting. I paint not just what I see but what I feel, inviting the viewer into a world where chaos and beauty coexist. The very act of painting brings peace. It is meditative in a way, and I find comfort and solace in it. Once a creation is shown to an audience, I enjoy the interaction with viewers. I love hearing their take on my work, what it signifies for them and how it makes them feel. I hope the viewer finds warmth, love, light and consolation in my works. For as long as there is light, I will continue to create, hoping to be able to offer a compelling vision of the world that resonates with audiences today and for generations to come.”
What’s your favourite artwork and why?
“I do not have just one favourite artwork - each piece is a fragment of my soul. But if I must choose, I would say that ‘UA22022022 Fata Morgana’ is a work that is very close to my heart. It is my largest work to date, and I began working on it in February 2022 in response to the alarming reports of an impending war in Ukraine, and two days before the start of the actual offensive. My entire family lives in Ukraine. The fear for my family’s safety, the reports of friends killed in action and the harrowing stories from former classmates about their flight with children drove me to despair at times. Still, I continued to work to bring structure to my life in order to stay sane. In the artistic process, I found solace, and meaning in the meaningless. Although this iconic work was made during the war, positivity and light prevail. This was a conscious and deliberate choice: the painting serves as a kind of antidote to the terrible images that come at us daily. The artwork contains numerous references to Ukraine: from Pechersk Lavra (the Caves Monastery) in Kyiv over the traditional costumes of women to the vulture falcon, the national bird of Ukraine. I also contributed to several charity projects for Ukraine with my art, raising close to 100 000 EUR in the process.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“My most recent exhibition was at NATO, first at NATO Kyiv, Ukraine and then at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, for the commemoration of 1000 days of war in Ukraine. Another interesting project I worked on recently is Art Armor, a project in which several artists transformed armor plates that had actually been used in the war were transformed into unique art objects with exclusive stories. The armor plates have been exhibited in various museums and venues across Europe, including in the Municipal Musuem of Contemporary Art in Ghent. They are currently on display in the War Museum (National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War) in Kyiv and will be auctioned next. The profits will be used to purchase equipment for demining, and for the treatment and rehabilitation of Ukrainian people.”
