Yaroslav Ponomarenko (1982) - White Marshmallows

In White Marshmallows, Yaroslav Ponomarenko turns to an object defined by fragility and immediacy, rendering it with a precision that resists its own nature. The soft, yielding forms are constructed with a discipline that lends them an unexpected solidity, their delicate ridges and folds treated with the clarity of studied form.

Set against a deep, saturated field, the composition isolates the subject within a controlled space of colour and light. The reflective surface beneath introduces a quiet doubling, allowing the forms to hover between presence and image, matter and illusion.

The work unfolds through restraint. What appears familiar is held in suspension, transformed through observation into a meditation on texture, perception, and the tension between permanence and transience.

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.

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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

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