Echoes of Self: Exploring surrealism and identity at Andrea Festa Fine Art
Andrea Festa Fine Art presents Echoes of Self, a duo exhibition featuring the works of Katia Lifshin and Eetu Sihvonen. This exhibition delves into the intersection of reality and surrealism, exploring the manifestation of identity through dreams. Lifshin’s evocative oil paintings and Sihvonen’s intricate sculptures create a dialogue that challenges perceptions of selfhood, inviting viewers into an enigmatic realm where the boundaries of the conscious and subconscious blur.
The exhibition showcases five oil paintings by Katia Lifshin, an artist of Ukrainian origin raised in Israel, known for her deeply expressive, surrealist compositions. Her work navigates the tension between the human form and the natural world, with twisting limbs, braids, and spectral figures that embody emotional complexity.
Inspired by daily life and psychedelic experiences, her distinctive blue-green palette lends a sense of mystery and introspection, drawing viewers into an atmosphere that oscillates between tranquility and unease. Lifshin, a graduate of Pima College, Arizona, has exhibited internationally in prominent galleries such as Anna Zorina in Los Angeles and Nassima Landau in Tel Aviv, and participated in renowned art fairs including ART021 in Shanghai and CAN Ibiza.
Alongside Lifshin’s paintings, six sculptures by Finnish artist Eetu Sihvonen enrich the exhibition with a material exploration of mythology and craft. Sihvonen, based in Helsinki, merges traditional woodworking and metalwork with digital modeling and animation, constructing an intricate world that blends fantasy and history. Their recurring motif, the egg—often fractured, adorned with wings, or surrounded by talismanic objects—suggests themes of transformation, vulnerability, and power.
Echoing medieval symbology, their sculptures evoke a sense of mystical storytelling, where objects such as coins, weapons, and insignias become part of a larger narrative. A graduate of the Helsinki Academy of Fine Arts, Sihvonen has exhibited across Europe and beyond, with works featured in public and private collections, including those of the Finnish Art Society.
Exhibition details:
- Echoes of Self
- February 14 – March 18, 2025
- Andrea Festa Fine Art – Lungotevere degli Altoviti 1, Rome, Italy
All images courtesy of Andrea Festa Fine Art
