Volodymyr Manzhos, aka WAONE, is a talented artist and muralist based in Kyiv, Ukraine. WAONE’s vibrant murals depict surreal interactions and enigmatic narratives that draw from various sources of inspiration. His works explore religious iconography, historical events, and botanical elements, creating a rich visual language that invites interpretation. He often addresses themes of ecological apocalypse, cosmology, and duality, reflecting on the complex relationship between humans and nature. His murals are characterized by intricate details, geometric and organic forms, and expressive colors that capture the imagination of the viewers. WAONE also works with drawing, painting, and sculpture.
The main goal of my art is to find out who am i and explore the outside world. Viewing through the lens of the creative process gives me the possibility to shift the focus away from the vanity of common life and tap into a stranger invisible world, the origin of the entire existence… It was a long way starting back in 1999, when I stepped on the streets with a spray can. During the next 18 years, I developed a fairytale visual language, a visual storytelling with a transcendental ethereal form of contemporary muralism. Inspired by the old master’s art I continue my evolution, I like to imitate the aesthetic of antique book illustrations and old engravings in my murals, canvases, and drawings.
WAONE
More info: Website, Instagram.
