Nataliia Brichuk

Natasha Brichuk, known as Notuko, paints in the language of memory. Raised in Rivne, Ukraine, she grew up surrounded by the vivid patterns of embroidered tablecloths, the warmth of painted ceramics, and the quiet grandeur of old Ukrainian architecture. These objects weren’t just decoration—they were stories, passed down through generations, whispering of heritage, resilience, and identity. But tradition, as she saw it, was not static. It pulsed with life, adapting, shifting, existing between past and present. It is this in-between space that Notuko inhabits as an artist. She pursued decorative and applied arts, specialising in ceramics, but painting became her true medium for storytelling. What began as a simple fascination evolved into a bold artistic language - where folk motifs meet abstraction, where Byzantine echoes intertwine with modern fluidity. Her figures emerge as symbols rather than individuals, their forms at times dissolving into textured layers of colour, as if caught between reality and memory. Improvisation is at the heart of her process. She embraces instinct, letting her brushwork capture fleeting emotions and intangible histories. Her compositions often feel like fragments of a grander, unseen whole — inviting viewers to reconnect with traditions, not as relics, but as living, breathing experiences. Notuko’s works have traveled far beyond her hometown, exhibited across Ukraine, Europe, and the UK. Yet, her essence remains rooted in the stories of home — the unspoken ties between past generations and those still to come. Her art is a conversation between centuries, a delicate balance of structure and spontaneity, of inherited symbols and contemporary expression. To experience Notuko’s work is to step into a world where tradition doesn’t belong to the past—it evolves, just like us.