Raised and trained in both Ukraine and Poland, Janina Myronova builds highly stylized figurative forms inspired by pre-Columbian sculpture and Slavic folk arts, along with comic books and contemporary illustration. The results are vivid, playful human and animal characters acting as conduits for complex relationships, conflicting emotions and interpersonal narratives.

"My characters display a specific, distorted body perspective. The forms are a bit clunky, chubby, anatomically misshapen, marked with accents which double the characters or hybridize their silhouettes. Each sculpture is a different personality, a personal story, a graphic “novel” featuring my favorite motifs: images of family relationships, parent and child, partners, pets. My emotions are “scratched” into them, with a subtle hint towards humor. Wonder, anger, fear and joy are all present there. What also influences the emotional charge of the figures is the colour scheme of my sculptures, defining the characters and saturating their personal stories placed on the bodies and clothing. I emphasize their colouration by the black-and-white drawings in the background, constituting a backdrop to my stories." -Artist Statement