Julia Tveritina

Julia Tveritina, a Ukrainian artist born in Kyiv in 1986, has emerged as a poignant voice in contemporary graphic art and illustration. A graduate of the National Academy of Arts in Kyiv, where she earned her master’s degree in 2011 and completed a postgraduate internship (2011-2015), Tveritina has been recognised for her exceptional talent with prestigious accolades, including the Grant of the President of Ukraine for young artists (2013) and a silver medal for the best master’s diploma work in graphic techniques (2015). Her artistic journey has taken her beyond Ukraine’s borders, with collaborations in China and Japan, where she now divides her time between teaching illustration at Suzhou University and creating deeply personal works in her studio.

Tveritina’s art is a testament to her ability to weave narrative and emotion into visual form. Her award-winning project, *Girls Power*, showcased her skill in blending storytelling with striking graphic design, earning her the Best Book Design award at Mystetskyi Arsenal in 2018. Alongside her creative practice, she has been featured in the Ukrainian Book Institute’s catalogue of illustrators, cementing her place among Ukraine’s most influential contemporary artists.

However, it is her recent work that has captured the attention of a global audience. Living in southern China during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tveritina found herself grappling with the dual crises of a global health emergency and the outbreak of war in her homeland. The war between Russian and Ukraine from 2022 marked a turning point in her artistic practice. Drawing from the raw emotions of fear, loss, and resilience, she began creating a series of illustrations that serve as both a personal catharsis and a historical record.

Her works, often inspired by real stories shared by friends and family, are imbued with a haunting realism. Tveritina’s meticulous attention to detail—whether depicting missile strikes, bomb shelters, or the quiet strength of ordinary people—transforms her art into a powerful medium for bearing witness. Yet, her approach is not merely documentary; it is deeply therapeutic. As she explains, her illustrations are a way to process the unimaginable, a means of finding solace amidst chaos.

Influenced by the works of Hayao Miyazaki, Tveritina’s art also carries a subtle undercurrent of hope and humanity. She draws parallels between Miyazaki’s anti-war themes and her own experiences, using her illustrations to bridge the gap between distant audiences and the harsh realities of war. For Tveritina, art is not just a reflection of the world but a tool for connection, understanding, and healing.

Today, Julia Tveritina continues to create, teach, and inspire. Her work stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a poignant reminder of art’s power to illuminate even the darkest of times.