Nina Murashkina and
Xavier Escala’s
exhibition
Organized by
Rukh Art Hub and Mriya Gallery
Media Partners: Razom for Ukraine
& Ukrainian Cultural Festival
Location: 101 Reade St,
New York
NY 10013 Mriya Gallery
Rukh Art Hub presented “Water Drops on Burning Rocks” — a new art show in NYC, featuring works by prominent Ukrainian and Spanish contemporary artists — Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala.
“Water Drops on Burning Rocks” is an artistic manifesto of multidimensional sensuality where candid and vivid canvases are balanced by the eloquent and tranquil silence of the sculpture, forging a space of an unrestrained experiment. The delicate harmony of contrasting artworks that are brought together, like water to a burning rock to form a mist of new, ethereal essence, creates a novel, multi-spectral creative realm.
A Unique Artistic Partnership
“Water Drops on Burning Rocks” brings together Murashkina’s vibrant paintings and Escala’s serene sculptures. Their work explores themes of duality, balancing chaos and calm. The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences and emotions. As a couple, they amplify each other’s artistic expressions.
This show is more than just an art display; it’s a journey through the stories behind the pieces. Inspired by Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s play, the exhibition delves into the connections between masculine and feminine energies.
photo by by Valeriia Buchuk
“I‘m erotic and see the world in an erotic context,” Murashkina states. She describes her own artwork as “the delicious details from the Subconscious and the extreme limits allowed in social relations.” Her goddess-like heroines embody the dual nature of the woman: lustful and innocent, provocative and tender, brutally honest and darkly mysterious.
A Story of Resilience
Nina Murashkina grew up in a challenging neighborhood in Donetsk, Ukraine, known for its miners, drug users, and alcoholics. These experiences deeply influenced her early art, which was often intense and emotional. A pivotal moment in her childhood occurred when she was just 13 years old; while passing by her building, she saw a neighbor with an axe embedded in her head, smiling in shock, while another neighbor casually urged her to walk by, as if everything were normal. This haunting experience is reflected in the raw emotion of her early work.
After moving to Barcelona six years ago, her art transformed into a more feminine and romantic style. In the past year, Murashkina has gained significant recognition. One of her pieces received an A-FAD Award for Best Design of the Year at the Barcelona Design Museum.
The winning work, entitled Still Waters Run Deep, was praised by the jury for “the formal forcefulness of the whole, the clarity of the discourse, the gaze and the narrative on desire, and the fusion of traditional techniques with a contemporary resolution.Murashkina’s work is rooted in “magical feminism,” a sensual and metaphorical world shaped by her own sexuality and life experiences. The pink tones of her vases, inspired by ancient Greece, convey femininity and sweetness, while the daring narratives provoke thoughtful reflection”(El feminismo mágico de Nina Murashkina, premio FAD de Arte 2023, lavanguardia.com).
Her work now includes stunning paintings, ceramics, and even a new line of jewelry. Her art has been showcased at exhibitions in the USA, the UK, France, Austria, Germany, Spain, and Ukraine, as well as in private collections.
The exhibition will be held as part of the UCF program at the Ukrainian Cultural Festival, organized with the support of Razom for Ukraine. Razom for Ukraine was founded in 2014 and is now a leading US-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting Ukraine.
Razom, which stands for “together” in Ukrainian, is dedicated to upholding the principles of the Revolution of Dignity – the 2014 protests in the Ukrainian capital that resulted in then-President Yanukovych fleeing the country, and the state reverting to a more democratic Ukraine Constitution of 2004. Razom for Ukraine actively contributes to the establishment of a secure, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine through five program areas: Razom Heroes, Razom Health, Razom Relief, Razom Advocacy, and Razom Connect, which enable them to provide humanitarian aid and support to Ukrainians and advance Ukraine’s interests in the U.S.
