A TIME TO PLANT AND A TIME TO DESTROY
(2022)«In her photo series, Maryna Shtanko shows how the binary oppositions of creation-destruction and life-death are archetypically assigned to the female or male gender. Historically, women were attributed the role of giving birth and raising children, i.e. the creation of life and its preservation; at the same time, men were mostly warriors, i.e. those who take life away. The artist illustrates this gender dichotomy through the botanical metaphor of interacting with a flower. War in the 21st century no longer functions according to these historical paradigms
— women serve with men in the military and men participate in childcare. Yet archetypal models still dictate social and legal norms
— men are conscripted, women are civilians».
Iryna Kurganska
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ed181d2c496911a40ab53c26d4b57dd34dd2323fbdeef5b301c644027cee28f8/Bild-086.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/11cbef42be1ee604c47b46d74d14fc421c5f24e0bd89e32d0bb7207abaa39492/Bild-089.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c959b15bc580d19fccbaa06c09ed519ea8ac4edc6c3789e6c1e99557fb1a5e3f/Bild-090.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c66220bd9a6097afcae840caec37785bbe324e6c85f22a89251454f8b3638991/Bild-085.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5451b31189945297192c6d55625a2899b5f0116cdefe37176dcfcad48764c1a9/Bild-087.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4a74410327abb74bde857ba0187c664815706701073726a26a157b66f33ee0cd/Bild-114.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1bfcc8fe19c9f9e817eb39c85e6c74c176cd5285d46d24dc81b8515ff55855cc/Bild-113.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1e1b1313c8659032431310228cd48446c536b33b70d4d488c2f9af474b163731/Bild-112.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2fce1cee91a1054a774748178e50b70fc5701efa2b6d14cae42bbb9ce92414a4/Bild-111.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/429c76d64caca263fc310075d3676f67646675070338419214480e340d1c95c6/Bild-097.jpg)