STATEN ISLAND/BROOKYLN, NY –
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) on June 7 announced Staten Island resident Ivanna Trunova who attends Tottenville High School, is the 2024 Congressional Art Competition winner for New York’s 11th Congressional District. Trunova’s winning piece entitled “Finding my True Self” will be displayed in the Capitol for one year alongside the winners from each Congressional District.
“This painting is self-portrait in my home music studio. High School pressures split my attention in so many directions. Exploring music allows me to find the light within myself and discover my true identity and purpose. Oil on Canvas, attached on cardboard. Double portrait of a girl in t-shirt sitting against the window in the music studio”, Ivanna said.
This year’s competition runner-up is Brooklyn resident and 2023 Congressional Art Competition winner Anastasia Kril. Kril attends Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Kril’s work, “Fantasy Built Upon Modernity,” will be displayed in Malliotakis’ Washington, DC, office for one year.
“The painting showcases the new world order in a futuristic society, which is contained within a globe that us covered with numbers to represent the digitization and A.I. both of which penetrate the continents suffering from war, epidemics, and climate change,” Anastasia said. “The human figure on the left alludes to a man in a respirator governing the world – he is protected from the diseases and is the architect of the new society. On the globe lies a figure that is being initiated into the new world order: he is being reborn with new principles that abandon old tradition. The dark figure approaching the globe symbolizes the epidemics and fear that penetrated the world. The lady to the right symbolizes the enslavement of people by overwhelming entertainment which affects their physical and psychological states. In my painting process, I challenged myself with finding the perfect way to tone down the harsh symbolism with alluring imagery and strong visual effect. During my creation of this peace, I was absorbed into the world I designed. I felt bitterness and curiosity which led me to use bright and artificial colors to more vividly depict the surrealistic atmosphere of the new world”.
Third place winner is Benjamin Prestino of Xavierian High School in Brooklyn. His work ‘All Wounds Heal’ will be displayed in Malliotakis’ Brooklyn District Office for one year.
‘The band-aids symbolize inner hurt and wounds can heal over time,’ Benjamin said.
“I was proud to congratulate both Ivanna and Anastasia, both extremely talented artists, for winning this year’s Congressional Art Competition”, said Congresswoman Malliotakis. “Not only do their pieces showcase their fantastic artistic abilities, but they also tell personal stories of self-exploration, reflection, overcoming internal struggles, and how they perceive the future. I’m delighted they chose to share their talents with us; they should be extremely proud of themselves. I look forward to welcoming Ivanna to Washington to see her work on full display in the Capitol this fall”.
