Women’s Art. Exhibition of Maria Hliatsevich

On October 30, the ARTel space in Warsaw hosted the opening of an exhibition by Maria Hliatsievich — a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose work combines painting, graphics, textiles and fashion. The exhibition, titled “Cyanotype and Yūgen,” became one of the most striking events of the autumn season.

Maria works with cyanotype — a monochrome printing technique where the final result is impossible to predict. Every element influences the outcome: the thickness of the paper, humidity, light, temperature, and even the mood of the day. Deep blue tones emerge from the reaction of ammonium iron and red ferric salt, while violet and brown shades come from natural pigments.

Visitors noted that Maria’s works evoke a sense of silence and slow movement. Her compositions combine handwritten lines, architectural fragments and impressions of natural shadows. The images do not reveal themselves immediately — they appear gradually, like layers of hidden meaning coming to the surface one by one.

The exhibition is inspired by the aesthetic of yūgen — a Japanese concept of hidden depth, where beauty arises not directly but through suggestion and inner perception. This approach values half-tones, hints and subtle intuition. That is why Maria’s works feel both fragile and full — leaving space for the viewer’s own associations.

The artist says that each piece is a combination of her creative intention and what she jokingly calls “God’s lottery.” Cyanotype cannot be fully controlled, and this unpredictability creates a sense of living, almost alchemical transformation.

The opening took place in a calm and attentive atmosphere: guests looked at the works up close, discussed the technique, shared impressions and asked questions. For many, it was their first encounter with cyanotype presented in such a deep artistic form.