Marina Priyomova’s work emerges from a deep engagement with cultural roots, spirituality, and the unyielding discipline of practice. Shaped by Odesa’s unique spirit and a strong national identity, the art becomes both mirror and map: reflecting hidden truths while guiding a return to self. Each creation stands at the meeting point of soul, craft, and conviction.

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How has your upbringing or cultural heritage shaped the themes and techniques you explore in your art today?

I grew up in Ukraine, in the city of Odesa. Like any city in Ukraine, Odesa has its own cultural peculiarities a unique cultural code that integrates into every aspect of life, not only in art but also in humor and even the local dialect. I have a strong national identity, and I consider this to be of great value. Almost all of my artistic projects are connected with exploring my cultural identity and heritage.

How do you reconcile the tension between raw, innate creativity and the discipline required to master your craft? 

It is both very simple and complex at the same time. The moment you decide that this is your full-time path, and not just faking being an artist, everything falls into place. There is no conflict. You commit to your work just as consistently as people do in an office setting.

 Does spirituality or a connection to something larger than yourself influence your creative process?

Art is the most direct way the soul takes material form. God has no other hands but ours. And of course, the process of creating art is a calling of the soul. Our task as artists is to hear it as clearly as possible.

What do you think is the most meaningful role an artist plays in society today?

I believe an artist is a mirror the kind of mirror that reveals the reality we often prefer not to notice. The artist becomes the one who takes what is hidden or forgotten and returns it to the viewer in a new form.

If you could communicate just one core message through your entire body of work, what would it be?

Your soul and body are a map. Listen to them to find the way back to yourself.

How do you challenge yourself to continually grow as an artist while remaining true to your voice? 

Right now, while raising very young children, I am beginning my studies at the Royal College of Art to complete my master’s degree. It is more than a dream for me, it is a necessity, something I cannot live without.

Can art be truly therapeutic? Have you experienced its healing power personally, or seen it impact others?

Art is a living organism, just like a human being. A person becomes pretentious the moment their inner essence and outward behavior fall out of harmony. When art loses its true purpose and turns into a pursuit of status and recognition, everything collapses.

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly infiltrating creative fields. Do you see artificial intelligence as a threat, a tool, or a collaborator in the art world?

I consider artificial intelligence an excellent tool for working with large amount of information and certain specific aspects of the artistic process, but by no means a threat. My unique vision, perception of reality, and ability to create cannot be stolen just as it is impossible to steal something I do not possess.

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The voice of Marina Priyomova affirms art as living matter - a force that heals, reveals, and resists collapse when aligned with true purpose. In every reflection on culture, spirituality, and growth, a consistent thread appears: art as necessity. From the study of heritage to the pursuit of mastery, the journey insists that creation is both a calling and a mirror of the world.