A major exhibition of the works of Ukrainian artist, Yana Barabash, opens in Dimbola Museum and Galleries’ main gallery space this spring.
Three and a half years ago, Yana and her mother fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leaving their home in Odesa and settled in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight.
Painting part of her life since childhood
Originally from Odesa, Yana received her formal training at the Kostandi Art School and the Grekov Odesa State Art College. Painting has been part of her life since childhood, and oil remains her primary medium for its depth, flexibility and capacity for refined detail.
Over the years she has held numerous exhibitions in museums and galleries in Ukraine, Spain, London and on the Island. In 2025 she was a winner in the prestigious ‘UK Women in Art’ show at Roundhouse, London in 2025.
A quiet dialogue across time
This exhibition holds special significance for Yana. During her first visit to Dimbola, encountering the photographs of Julia Margaret Cameron felt like a quiet dialogue across time. The mystical atmosphere and emotional depth of Cameron’s work resonate with Yana’s own search for inner presence and atmosphere.
The light of Freshwater, the sea and the landscape of the Isle of Wight form an environment that feels both intimate and powerful.
Range of works
The exhibition brings together several groups of Yana’s works created in England. Some respond directly to the Island and its surroundings. Others continue her long-standing practice of portraiture and figurative scenes drawn from personal life.
The central body of work explores minerals, trees and flowers.
In recent years Yana has turned toward elemental forms – stone, roots, petals – as a way of seeking stability and harmony. Minerals inspire her through their structure and depth; old trees become symbols of endurance and grounding; flowers, often intertwined with female figures, suggest delicacy, vulnerability and inner strength.
Through these works, she searches for balance, stillness and a sense of rootedness in an unsettled world.
Where and when
Dreams by Yana Barabash runs from 14th March to 7th June 2026 at Dimbola Museum and Galleries, Terrace Lane, Freshwater PO40 9QE.
See the Dimbola website for latest opening times.
Find out more about the artist by visiting their website.
News shared by Elissa on behalf of Dimbola Museum and Galleries. Ed
