Witness

Daria Barybina’s project Witness is a series of nine works united by a sense of anxious anticipation and uncertainty. All of the painted canvases are devoid of a protagonist, as the figure is clearly situated beyond the frame—looking into it and trying to understand what is happening.

The silent metaphysics of seemingly ordinary objects recalls the "deserted" works of Edward Hopper, whose figures often appear lifeless, serving merely as extensions of the surrounding environment. A familiar morning still life with a sink turns into something close to a thriller, while a braid lying on a pillow hints at a sudden awakening. A standard hotel room resembles a set from a suspenseful film, and the creature discovered in the hallway seems entirely removed from reality. Each visitor is invited to decipher the secret held by empty rooms and corridors, or by the two pairs of shoes left behind—whether by chance or intention—with the answer depending solely on one’s imagination.