Evgeniya Golik: "Esoterica"

Russian born artist Evgeniya Golik’s highly detailed pop-surrealist work easily activates the imagination of viewers. Her paintings and drawings are like doors to a mystical realm containing a myriad of beautiful human faces and fantastical creatures who express their secrets and stories through symbolic language. Her penchant for hatch shading and meticulously rendered hair catches the eye just as much as the unusual subject matter depicted.

Esoteric subject matter was introduced to Golik at a young age by her paternal grandmother someone she described as “always delve(ing) into the holistic-spiritual-mystic side of things”. Her grandmother taught her about medicinal plants natural remedies astrology and fortune telling. This planted the seed of a lifelong fascination with esoteric knowledge in Golik who would explore such subjects in later artwork. The catalyst for her understanding of the application of these secrets however would not come for many years.

Golik’s works will be on view at Sparks Gallery from May 4 – June 30 2024 with a reception on Saturday May 4 2024 from 5-8pm. Attendance is free and RSVP is encouraged. RSVP at https://sparksgallery.com/rsvp?eid=43856

From the Artist:

“The word esoterica means ‘things understood by or meant for a select few’. Exploring ancient esoteric knowledge nearly forgotten and circulated among small groups for centuries seems to have suddenly become trendy in recent years. I thought a lot about the reason why… It’s not a secret we’ve been through a tough several years and it still feels like a rollercoaster. The world is experiencing a kind of crisis and transformation at the same time and when things go wrong we initially feel lost disconnected and confused. We need to know what’s coming in order to prepare. I think therein lies the reason for esoteric knowledge’s recent popularity: people are trying to find answers heal the fear and get in-touch with themselves through Astrology Tarot readings meditation yoga crystals herbs and such. When the physical world becomes scary and doesn’t give us any reassurance the spiritual world can provide hope to survive. Only by finding peace within us can we feel at peace in the external world. My hope is that everyone who comes to this exhibit will be able to resonate with the artwork find their reflection and get closer to understanding their own internal worlds.” -Evgeniya Golik

Host or Publisher Levi Distaso