Motivated by the invasion of her home country, Ukrainian artist Anastasiia Surovtsova partners with Mandy Zhang and Kate Fensterstock to design, develop and drive Artscope: Aid Ukraine 2023.
Anastasiia Surovtsova was born to a large family in the small southern city of Kherson, Ukraine. “I have four sisters, and our home has always been filled with love and compassion. We have always been encouraged to express ourselves creatively,” Anastasiia explains. “I was taught to draw as a young child, and art has since become a very important part of how I communicate my thoughts and feelings, and also how to find peace when things become difficult.”
As she grew up, Anastasiia’s practice expanded from drawing into filmmaking and photography. She quickly embraced the power and potential of the digital sphere, which not only offered a new artistic medium, but a highly effective mode of communication. Her offering became more focused on developing strong content as a means of marketing, which would open up more opportunities for paid work.
When the war broke out, Anastasiia was living in Kherson and forced to flee. Her family packed everything they could possibly take into their car, and abandoned the family home. It was destroyed in the fighting. “My practice as a means of personal comfort and support obviously became even more important during this time, as my family and I came to terms with the pain and suffering caused by the war,” Anastasiia says. “Art gave me a small escape from the fear, sadness, and anger that we experienced.”
Her content development and marketing channels also took on a new significance in how to get in touch with displaced Ukrainian friends and family, and spread awareness surrounding the injustice brought on by the Russian war crimes. “Instagram, Tik Tok and LinkedIn were lifelines that could be extended all over the world and used to rescue others…and to fight back,” Anastasiia recalls.
With the confidence she gained in finding a way to promote her skills and seek out external project opportunities, Anastasiia was invited to go to Turkey to film and take photos for the global cycling event Ride 25. The route is broken up into segments which stretch across the globe, uniting an international community through cycling and harnessing this power to make a significant charitable impact.
Ride 25 changed Anastasiia’s life significantly. During this trip she made contacts who facilitated a sponsorship and relocation to London, where she met Artscope Founder Kate Fensterstock. This connection would ultimately inspire the partnership that yielded Artscope: Aid Ukraine 2023. Anastasiia would also go on to help launch the app Kuda, and she would be hired as a lead digital consultant on content production for the annual property networking summit, PropSki.
Anastasiia continues to develop her practice independently, and is proud to have work selected for the Artscope: Aid Ukraine 2023 online auction. “I am deeply committed to doing whatever I can to defend my home country, and the civil liberties of free nations across the world. Artscope: Aid first and foremost believes that art has the power to help make this dream come true, and I am proud to be part of that initiative.”
Be sure to follow us on social media and regularly check our website for more information about the talented artists and team members heralding this initiative. Bidding on these works will go live in early May, so keep an eye out for additional announcements. For all press enquiries, including further information on Artscope and Artscope: Aid, please email kate@artscopeintl.com.
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