Acrylic painting “Dove of Peace or Ghost of Kyiv” (2025) by Nataliya Bagatskaya (Ukraine)

This painting invites the viewer into a charged, cinematic moment where serenity and tension coexist. A woman lies with deliberate calm on an elegant, antique-style daybed, her posture radiating confidence and quiet strength. Behind her, a large window opens onto a luminous ultramarine sky, in which a Ukrainian fighter jet cuts through the air—an unexpected, almost surreal contrast that heightens the emotional depth of the scene. The work creates an atmosphere where the intimate and the monumental intersect. The viewer unconsciously assumes the role of witness: the sovereign figure becomes a symbol of resilience, self-assurance, and effortless allure. The juxtaposition of stillness and movement is intended to stimulate the imagination and evoke questions, emotional resonance, and a sense of privileged access to a private world.