Showcase

Until The Sky Is Quiet

Daria Krugovaia

Profile picture of Daria Krugovaia

Hi, I’m Daria — an illustrator and graphic designer from Ukraine, currently based in London. I hold a BA in Illustration and Visual Media from LCC, and my work spans a variety of formats, from zines and publications to mixed media and experimental digital spaces like VR galleries.

Storytelling is at the heart of my practice. I love exploring themes like mental well-being, childhood curiosity, and the beauty of everyday life using playful visuals, layered textures, and thoughtful design to bring ideas to life. I’m especially drawn to print, where I can turn complex concepts into something engaging, personal, and easy to connect with.

Hi, I’m Daria — an illustrator and graphic designer from Ukraine, currently based in London. I ho...

This handmade concertina book extends the narrative of the installation through personal reflections and a sequence of photographs I took myself. At its centre is a carefully set dinner table, but the objects on it are fractured, mended with red thread and barbed wire. These quiet details speak of rupture and survival, echoing the everyday tension of life during war. The barbed wire, once used to barricade roads in the early days of invasion, now binds what remains scarred. 

Printed on 190 gsm pages and bound in a hand-embroidered Aida cloth cover, the pattern on the front encodes the project’s title: Until the Sky is Quiet.

Red and white cross-stitch on a black textile background echoes traditional Ukrainian embroidery, symbolising both alarm and hope. Designed to unfold slowly, the book invites viewers into an intimate, page-by-page experience of memory, resilience, and quiet resistance.  

This is not a memory of the past. This is the present.

💛💙 Please follow the link to support verified aid efforts in Ukraine. Help us endure and one day return to the quiet, peaceful life we’re still fighting for.

Final work

A square black canvas features a red and white cross-stitch design resembling a star or directional symbol. Barbed wire loops around the canvas, contr

Hand-embroidered Aida cloth cover, the pattern on the front encodes the project’s title: Until the Sky is Quiet.

A handmade artist’s book lies open, wrapped in loose barbed wire. The cover features a photograph of red metal beams and reads “Until the sky is quiet

This photo on the endpaper was taken by me in Kyiv, after the first month of the full-scale invasion. Blockposts still remain, marked by anti-tank hedgehogs and coils of barbed wire — silent reminders of a fragile, ongoing reality.

An eight-pointed star-shaped artist’s book shows photos of a dinner table, broken dishes, and quiet gatherings. It reflects on memory, loss, and war,

The book can be arranged in the shape of an eight-pointed star.

The eight-pointed star is a powerful symbol in Ukrainian embroidery. It represents feminine, life-giving energy, spiritual growth, and the union of opposites: Sun and Moon, matter and spirit. Traditionally used as a protective sign, it often appears on men’s shirts too, rooted in balance and resilience.

This symbol also led me to the final title of my project: Until the Sky is Quiet. We only see stars when the sky is calm, when rockets no longer fill the night. It stands for the stillness we continue to wait for.

Concertina book spread

Research and process

Concertina book spread
Concertina book spread

Share this project

Until The Sky Is Quiet

This handmade concertina book extends the narrative of the installation through personal reflections and a sequence of photographs I took myself. At its centre is a carefully set dinner table, but the objects on it are fractured, mended with red thread and barbed wire. These q...

A link to this page has been added to your clipboard

Browse related work