NATASHA BOYKO

        Natasha Boyko's artistic journey begins from a fascination with concrete, a medium that embodies the connection between its physical attributes and cultural resonance, particularly within the post-Soviet context. 

During the Soviet era, concrete was favored for its cost-effectiveness, in fulfilling ambitious state infrastructure and housing goals. As a result, numerous post-Soviet nations inherited extensive landscapes adorned with concrete structures. This legacy encompassed both utilitarian designs and architectural experiments where concrete was employed to create avant-garde and modernist structures.

        Concrete, at its core, emerges from humble origins, comprising of lime and clay—essentially powdered substances. In its solid state, concrete projects an image of stability and solidity . However, seasoned builders are well aware that the facade of concrete's unrelenting brutality and self-sufficiency conceals a fundamental fragility. While it aspires to rival the resilience of natural stone, it harbors fragility at its core. Lacking adequate support, a concrete structure, be it a wall or another form, is destined to crumble, it simply cannot thrive in isolation. Traditionally, concrete seeks reinforcement through the use of steel, often arranged in a grid-like configuration that bears a striking resemblance to textile structures. On occasion, even lighter textile materials find their place within this dynamic. The paradox lies in how something as outwardly weighty as concrete can find sustenance in something as outwardly delicate as textiles.

In this tiles series, Natasha Boyko brings this concealed relationship to the forefront. She acknowledges the apparent robustness of this formidable material but also accentuates its inherent delicacy by using textiles. Within this exploration, she delves into the nuanced dynamics of strength.

These tiles form a narrative, existing as fragments and notes that evoke ancient record-keeping practices such as cuneiform in Mesopotamia 
Ancient record-keeping practices reflect the unique needs and priorities of each society. These records have provided invaluable insights into the history, culture, and achievements of ancient civilizations and continue to be a rich source of historical research and scholarship today. In this series, Boyoko records references to her memory  and culture .