Karina Ask as an Artist

This work was created during the experience of pregnancy loss. The painting became a way to live through the pain, to release it, and to preserve the memory of a soul that came into this world for only a brief moment, yet left a deep mark within.

The central image is an unborn child, existing in the space between the earthly and the heavenly. It seems to float among clouds, at once close and infinitely far away. This is not an image of death in the direct sense, but rather a symbol of transition — a departure and a return of the soul to another space.

The blue sky creates a sense of stillness, peace, and boundlessness. The clouds become a metaphor for the heavenly world — the place where a soul goes that never had the chance to be born. There is no aggression or tragic cry in this work. There is quiet grief, acceptance, and an attempt to find the right place for that soul.

The umbilical cord here becomes an important symbol of connection — the invisible thread between mother and child that continues to exist even after loss. This bond can no longer be held physically, yet it remains within memory, the body, and the inner experience of the woman.

The painting is an act of materialising memory. It says that this pregnancy was real, that this soul existed, came into life, brought love, hope, and the experience of motherhood — even if its journey was very short.

The work becomes not only a personal experience of loss, but a form of reverence for an unborn life that remains forever a part of a person's inner story.

A painting about an inner state where fear, anguish, and a sense of hopelessness gradually destroy a person from within. This is not simply an image of a woman — it is a state of mind caught between inner darkness and an attempt to hold on to what remains of the light.

The cobweb in the right corner symbolises outdated meanings, old beliefs, and emotional traps in which a person can live for years. It slowly envelops the space around, turning the inner world into a motionless system of fear and anxiety.

The fragments below are an image of a shattered self-perception. Lost wholeness, pieces of personality, broken communication with oneself and with others.

The light bulb is a faint and distant source of light. It symbolises the attempt to illuminate one's own dark side — to see it and to acknowledge it. But that light is very dim, almost disappearing — like hope that still exists but barely holds on.

The flower covering one eye becomes a symbol of hidden inner beauty that exists even within darkness. It is a reminder that even in the heaviest states there remains a living part of the self — delicate, vulnerable, and real.

The eye and mouth convey the central emotional core of the work. The gaze is filled with fear and inner tension. The mouth — an attempt to cry out, but the cry remains silent. This is an image of emotional powerlessness and a suppressed experience that cannot be expressed in words.

The painting explores the human journey through the lens of fear — from birth to death. It is a reflection on the inner state of a person who comes into the world, lives a life filled with anxiety, the search for meaning, and a constant confrontation with their own finitude.

The central image brings together birth, fear, and death as a single cycle of existence. The deepest human fear — the awareness of an inevitable end — becomes the invisible backdrop of an entire life. This is why the figure in the painting at once resembles a cry, an emptiness, and a mask of human vulnerability.

The embryos within the body symbolise the very process of life being born, the continuous inner formation of a person, and their fragility before the world. They emphasise the thought that fear accompanies a person from the very beginning of their existence.

The left and right sides of the painting reflect the duality of the world. The bare tree is an image of fading, inner anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. The rose is a symbol of beauty, life, feeling, and the striving toward light. A person exists between these opposites, constantly sensing an inner conflict that intensifies the feeling of anxiety and instability.

The paint dripping from above creates the sensation of familiar reality dissolving and the fragility of the human condition. The world seems to fall apart, leaving a person alone with their fears.

The work does not offer an answer to how to escape fear. It shows the very nature of human existence — a brief journey between birth and death, within which a person tries to find meaning, preserve themselves, and learn to live among the contradictions of this world.

This work is dedicated to the experience of shame as an inner state that arises under the gaze of others. The painting conveys the sensation of emotional vulnerability, the fear of judgement, and the inner freezing that occurs when a person feels they are being watched.

The central image is a small dancing figure standing on a metallic surface that resembles a hot pan over a flame. This is a metaphor for a person who tries to maintain outward movement, play a role, or continue to "dance" despite inner tension and a sense of danger.

The burning burner beneath the surface symbolises pressure, anxiety, and the inner heat of others' gazes and expectations. The person seems placed in a situation where it is impossible to feel stable or safe — every movement becomes part of someone else's judgement.

The stone face in the background resembles the expressionless, heavy gaze of society. It is devoid of empathy or individuality, becoming a symbol of observation, condemnation, and the inner fear of being seen "the wrong way".

The metallic surface suspended in the air creates a sensation of hovering and loss of ground. This is a state of inner paralysis, in which a person simultaneously wants to disappear and is forced to remain under attention. In this image there is a sense of psychological "suspension" — the moment when fear and shame completely take hold of the inner state.

The work speaks of the fragility of self-perception under the judgement of others, and of how destructive the fear of evaluation can be. This is a painting about the inner tension in which a person feels emotionally "burned out" yet continues to remain in view.

This work is a symbol of connection with one's lineage, spiritual heritage, and ancestral memory. The painting is dedicated to roots, to the strength passed down through generations, and to respect for those who came before us. At its core is a personal sense of belonging to a lineage in which shamanic traditions, a deep connection with nature, and the cyclical nature of life have always existed.

The central image of the oak symbolises the lineage itself — steady, ancient, and alive. Its powerful roots reach deep into the earth, connecting the present with the past. This is an image of foundation, memory, and the inner strength that is passed to a person through generations.

The golden chain on the tree is a symbol of the gift received from one's ancestors. It reflects not a material inheritance, but a spiritual wealth: knowledge, inner strength, intuition, ancestral memory, and the invisible bond between generations. It is a mark of responsibility toward one's origins and, at the same time, gratitude for them.

The coloured dots and circular lines convey the cycles of life and the movement of energy through time. They symbolise a person's life path, recurring stages, inner transformations, and the continuous flow of life. These cycles correspond to the shamanic wheel — an ancient image of the world order, in which everything exists in constant movement and interconnection.

The circular shape of the canvas reinforces the idea of infinity and cyclicity. There is no beginning and no end — only the continuous flow of life, memory, and spiritual experience.

The work connects a personal history with the archetypal image of the World Tree — a symbol of the bond between the earthly, the human, and the spiritual worlds. This is a painting about the memory of blood, about the power of roots, and about the attempt to preserve a connection with what shaped a person long before they were born.