Russian Scientific Illustrator Explores Bidoup–Nui Ba Forest Through Art
For Russian scientific illustrator Anna Ratkevich, painting is more than an artistic medium—it is a way of extending observation and deepening human connections with nature.
"If photography allows us to preserve the moments we see, painting allows us to stay with those moments a little longer," Ratkevich said in an interview. "I paint because it is a continuation of my observation, and also a way to share the emotions I experienced while observing nature."
Ratkevich is currently presenting 35 paintings at Memories +84 Gallery, located at 17 Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street, Lam Vien - Da Lat Ward.
According to Nguyen Cao Cuong, the gallery's representative, the exhibition aims to go beyond showcasing artwork.
"We hope visitors will discover the hidden inhabitants beneath the ancient forest canopy of Bidoup–Nui Ba National Park, develop a deeper personal connection with nature, and join the artist in spreading the message of biodiversity conservation," he said.
Ratkevich said her artistic journey began after years of hiking through the forests of Bidoup–Nui Ba National Park, where her fascination with the area's biodiversity gradually grew.
"Beyond the forest canopy lies an entire forest," she said.
Hidden beneath the towering trees, she explained, is a complex living world populated by birds, insects, amphibians, fungi, mosses, trees and flowering plants.
"If we enter the forest only to admire its landscapes, we can easily miss its most intimate moments—the movement of a bird's wing, moss clinging to an ancient tree, or the gaze of a tiny frog. These are the forest's true treasures," Ratkevich said.
She believes photography alone cannot fully convey what she describes as "the atmosphere of these encounters."
While photographs capture a single instant, painting enables her to remain immersed in each encounter with the countless forms of life that together create the living fabric of Bidoup–Nui Ba National Park.
"Painting offers a different experience—slower, more reflective and deeply personal. It allows us to stay with nature a little longer than photography does," she shared.
The exhibition, titled "Beyond the Canopy Lies Another Forest," invites visitors to follow the artist along forest trails through changing seasons and discover the diverse wildlife of Bidoup–Nui Ba through detailed portraits and the stories behind them.
"These paintings are my invitation to walk with me through the trails of Bidoup–Nui Ba National Park, meeting the forest's inhabitants through their portraits and the stories surrounding them," Ratkevich explained.
Art critic Nguyen Nhu Huy, a resident of Xuan Huong - Da Lat Ward , said Ratkevich's realistic style makes her work highly accessible to the public while offering value beyond aesthetics.
"Anna Ratkevich's paintings are rendered in a realistic style, making them easy for audiences to appreciate," Huy said. "Beyond their artistic merit, her use of color also gives the works significant documentary value, serving as visual studies of the region's biodiversity."