What remains of us after life has changed us forever? Can we become whole again—or do we become someone new?
These questions lie at the heart of my artistic practice.
Through my ongoing series The Shape of Resilience, I explore identity not as something fixed, but as something continually reshaped by experience. My portraits are first painted as complete images, then physically torn apart and carefully reconstructed. The visible fractures and black spaces are not imperfections to be hidden but traces of transformation. In selected works, hand-tied cotton threads become a map of invisible emotional ties, tangled thoughts, and inner conflicts that continue to shape us long after life has changed us.
Rather than illustrating personal stories, I create space for viewers to recognize their own. My work is an invitation to reflect on vulnerability, memory, emotional connection, and the quiet process of becoming someone new.
BIOGRAPHY
Tatsiana Yelistratava (b. 1982, Gomel, Belarus) is a Belarusian contemporary mixed-media artist based in Hurghada, Egypt. Originally trained in medicine, she developed a distinctive artistic practice that combines expressive painting, physical fragmentation, reconstruction, and textile elements. Working primarily with acrylic, torn canvas, and cotton thread, she explores identity, transformation, and the invisible emotional structures that shape human experience. Her works are held in private collections internationally and have been exhibited in galleries, art projects, and international publications.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Memberships
2026 — Member, NOAPS (National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Society)
Selected Exhibitions
2026 — Online Solo Exhibition, Artsy " The Shape of Resilience"(ArtSeeker Gallery)
2021 — Healing the Soul, El Kauser Hospital, Hurghada, Egypt
2021 — Art Promenade Residency & Exhibition, Egypt
2019–2024 — Private studio exhibitions and private viewings, Cairo, Egypt
Art Fairs
2026 Affordable Art Fair Austin may 14-17, featured in Artseeker Gallery's Limited Edition Print Collection
Publications
2026 — Hampton Art Fair Catalogue
2022 — FAZ Art Magazine (Germany), New Masculinity curated collection
2021 — Egypt Today, interview and feature about the social art project Healing the Soul
