Lifestyle Notes - Dmytro Kozynets

The newest hero of our ongoing “Lifestyle Notes” series is Ukrainian artist and designer Dmytro Kozynets. We visited his studio on Reitarska Street on the very last day before his move, to talk about creativity, future plans, inner meanings, and the anchor points that keep him grounded.

Your work is about openness, honesty, and your inner world—not about seeking other people’s approval. How does that show up in your projects today?

Today, it shows up in my refusal to work “to meet expectations.” I don’t create projects for approval—I create them out of an inner necessity. Even in commercial work, it matters to me that there’s meaning at the core—my meaning, as I see it.

You have both Ukrainian and Greek roots. How much does that shape your imagery and your view of art?

Ukrainian and Greek—both literally and metaphorically: my father and my mother. I’ve been with them since birth; their families raised me, and now I’m giving something back for that background.

Images, memories, emotions, and lived experiences—these are what form my inner archive.

Inspiration comes to you from a wide range of impressions, and the “agony of creation” in the classic sense doesn’t feel like your path. What most often sparks ideas for new projects right now?

Dialogue. People. Context.
What sparks me is the tension between reality and what I feel inside. It can be a conversation, a space, or even a mistake during the process. “Creative suffering” isn’t close to me—there’s discipline, observation, and desire. When everything feels too intense, I do nothing.

What sparks me is the tension between reality and what I feel inside.

You keep making art even in times of major change, and you want it to carry the Ukrainian experience to foreigners. How do you see the role of art in society and its impact on people today?

Art is far stronger and more unexpected than I assume. Right now, I don’t have a goal to tell anyone something specific—this is my dialogue with myself. Sometimes I simply notice the importance of a question through a random image, which later unfolds into future works.

How important is it to you that your clothing reflects your personality and creativity?

It’s an automated process. Even if I don’t choose anything deliberately, clothing still reflects my state—or a particular period of my life.

Is there an item in your wardrobe that feels especially meaningful? Is it tied to a story?

I have a favorite pair of jeans—they’re completely torn up, but I keep patching them and extending their life. In general, I’m training myself to treat clothing as a comfortable outer layer that adapts universally to my needs.

You set aside Thursdays for drawing. What does your creative day look like, and what creates ideal conditions for work?

Right now, I’m reorganizing my studio and drawing every day—work I’m keeping “in the drawer” for now.

What countries or cultures would you like to explore, and how might that influence your creativity?

I’m interested in the Middle East.
And Mediterranean countries—for the light and the archetypes.
Right now, I feel a need for deep research and for drawing parallels with the Azov Sea region.