Yaroslav Ponomarenko (1982) - A Bee on a Red Apple






Specialised in 17th century Old Master paintings and drawings with auction house experience.
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A Bee on a Red Apple is a 2026 oil painting on gesso board by Ukrainian artist Yaroslav Ponomarenko (b. 1982), signed, original hyperrealist still life measuring 30 by 20 cm.
Description from the seller
In A bee on a red apple, Yaroslav Ponomarenko presents a suspended moment where stillness and quiet tension converge. The fruit, rendered with luminous density, is held in mid air, its weight countered by the delicate pull of a tied branch above. This subtle inversion introduces a sense of instability, as if the object exists between natural order and constructed arrangement.
The presence of the bee, small yet precise, shifts the work from pure observation into a more contemplative register. It introduces a temporal element, suggesting movement, fragility, and the fleeting nature of attention within an otherwise controlled composition.
Light plays across the surface of the apple with measured restraint, revealing texture and volume without excess. The surrounding space remains minimal, allowing the subject to emerge gradually, suspended within a field that feels both atmospheric and indefinite.
The work unfolds as a quiet meditation on balance, perception, and the tension between organic life and imposed structure, where even the smallest detail carries a sense of weight.
Oil on gesso board - 30 x 20 cm - 2026
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Yaroslav Ponomarenko (b. 1982, Kharkiv, Ukraine) is a contemporary painter whose practice is grounded in the technical discipline and visual language of European Old Master traditions.
Trained at the Kharkiv Art Lyceum and later at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Kyiv, Ponomarenko developed a rigorous approach to drawing, composition, and pictorial structure. His work reflects an ongoing engagement with historical methods, informed by extended study of classical painting techniques and the material processes of European schools.
Working primarily within still life and symbolic composition, he focuses on the precise observation of natural forms, often isolating modest subjects and rendering them with a heightened sense of clarity and restraint. Light and tonal construction play a central role in his practice, allowing objects to emerge gradually from subdued atmospheric grounds.
Alongside his studio work, Ponomarenko has been active as an educator, contributing to the transmission of classical techniques through structured teaching and research. This dual engagement with practice and pedagogy informs a body of work that is both technically exacting and conceptually measured.
His paintings situate themselves within a contemporary revival of classical realism, where historical continuity is approached not as imitation, but as a disciplined and evolving language.
Yaroslav Ponomarenko is represented by Havisham & Co., where his paintings are introduced to collectors through curated sales and selected auction placements.
⸻
Havisham & Co.
Havisham & Co. is a London-based fine art agency representing contemporary artists whose work engages with heritage, symbolism, and classical craftsmanship. The agency facilitates the placement of original artworks through curated sales, private transactions, and selected international auction platforms.
Instagram: @havishamco
Website: www.havishamco.com
Email: info@havishamco.com
International shipments may be subject to customs duties and import taxes, which are determined by local authorities and are the responsibility of the buyer.
Seller's Story
In A bee on a red apple, Yaroslav Ponomarenko presents a suspended moment where stillness and quiet tension converge. The fruit, rendered with luminous density, is held in mid air, its weight countered by the delicate pull of a tied branch above. This subtle inversion introduces a sense of instability, as if the object exists between natural order and constructed arrangement.
The presence of the bee, small yet precise, shifts the work from pure observation into a more contemplative register. It introduces a temporal element, suggesting movement, fragility, and the fleeting nature of attention within an otherwise controlled composition.
Light plays across the surface of the apple with measured restraint, revealing texture and volume without excess. The surrounding space remains minimal, allowing the subject to emerge gradually, suspended within a field that feels both atmospheric and indefinite.
The work unfolds as a quiet meditation on balance, perception, and the tension between organic life and imposed structure, where even the smallest detail carries a sense of weight.
Oil on gesso board - 30 x 20 cm - 2026
⸻
Yaroslav Ponomarenko (b. 1982, Kharkiv, Ukraine) is a contemporary painter whose practice is grounded in the technical discipline and visual language of European Old Master traditions.
Trained at the Kharkiv Art Lyceum and later at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Kyiv, Ponomarenko developed a rigorous approach to drawing, composition, and pictorial structure. His work reflects an ongoing engagement with historical methods, informed by extended study of classical painting techniques and the material processes of European schools.
Working primarily within still life and symbolic composition, he focuses on the precise observation of natural forms, often isolating modest subjects and rendering them with a heightened sense of clarity and restraint. Light and tonal construction play a central role in his practice, allowing objects to emerge gradually from subdued atmospheric grounds.
Alongside his studio work, Ponomarenko has been active as an educator, contributing to the transmission of classical techniques through structured teaching and research. This dual engagement with practice and pedagogy informs a body of work that is both technically exacting and conceptually measured.
His paintings situate themselves within a contemporary revival of classical realism, where historical continuity is approached not as imitation, but as a disciplined and evolving language.
Yaroslav Ponomarenko is represented by Havisham & Co., where his paintings are introduced to collectors through curated sales and selected auction placements.
⸻
Havisham & Co.
Havisham & Co. is a London-based fine art agency representing contemporary artists whose work engages with heritage, symbolism, and classical craftsmanship. The agency facilitates the placement of original artworks through curated sales, private transactions, and selected international auction platforms.
Instagram: @havishamco
Website: www.havishamco.com
Email: info@havishamco.com
International shipments may be subject to customs duties and import taxes, which are determined by local authorities and are the responsibility of the buyer.
