Sofiya Stanko

Kysen

Ceramicist | Lviv, Ukraine

Freedom and lightness of being through ceramics

Sofiya values the freedom to create above all else
She founded her studio Kysen in 2017
She is a graduate of Lviv National Academy of Arts

Sofiya Stanko read for a fashion design degree from Lviv National Academy of Arts, but it was clay that became her primary artistic focus in the end. Driven by her love for making things by hand and her passion for this material, Sofiya set up her studio, Kysen, in 2017. Kysen means 'oxygen' in Ukrainian and Sofiya describes her objects as “oxygen for the soul.” Freedom is at the very heart of her approach to her work. All the objects she makes are unique and she does not take commissions, preferring to remain unlimited in her creativity. While Sofiya uses traditional ceramic techniques, innovative exploration is central to her artistic process day-to-day.

Interview

©Yuliia Slabkevych

Do you remember the moment when you first decided to take up this craft?: It is impossible to say when exactly this moment happened. I believe that the prerequisite for something to happen in my life is the whole previous experience, from childhood, to meeting people, different impressions, studies, events, places, and cities.
When did you start making ceramics?: It was in 2016. I simply took a piece of clay in my hands and that is how the first product was created. Then several more followed. Later, I worked with concrete for a couple of years creating small decorative items, and fully devoted myself to ceramics after 2021.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: Traditions in my worldview are the things that form you as an artist. The innovations, on the other hand, are the things that you create. One turns into another. I can describe my ceramic work as an expression of myself.
How is your craft related to the area where you live?: I would say that the places I live in, the people surrounding me, my childhood, and the history of the territory I am from all have a direct influence on my work as an artisan.

Sofiya Stanko is a rising star: she began her career in 2016