A piece of pink paper becomes a nose. A familiar accessory suggests an imaginary character. In Polina Belenchuk’s world, everyday things offer a starting point for play, and a few simple shapes can become something unexpected.
Drawn to art since childhood, Polina first pursued graphic design before realizing that she wanted to give her own ideas more space. Today, her practice moves between paper collage and digital work, with bold colors, playful portraits, and recurring shapes connecting the two. She often starts with something small: a face, a color, or a piece of paper, moving elements around until something clicks.
For her collaboration with Ucon Acrobatics, Polina returned to a game she played as a child, imagining characters through outfits and accessories. She recreated one through collage, then brought the look into real life with our Shota Medium Bag in Pine Green. It’s an approach that reflects how closely making art and having fun are connected for her.
We spoke with her about following her instincts, the satisfaction of working by hand, and making room for curiosity in both art and everyday life.
What age did you find art was something you had a passion for? And where did the art inspiration come from?
I’ve been drawn to art for as long as I can remember myself. My parents always encouraged me to draw and express myself, even though there aren’t any artists or designers in my family. I’m very grateful I grew up with that kind of encouragement and freedom, because I think it gave me the confidence to take creativity seriously from a very young age.
When I was 17, I had to decide what I wanted to study after school, and graphic design felt like the most “adult” way to be an artist. I studied it and worked as a graphic designer for a while but eventually realised that what really drives me is visualising my own ideas rather than developing someone else’s visual language.
I’d say my inspiration mostly comes from my response to the world around me: colours, people, objects, emotions. I’m constantly noticing and collecting little things, and then they find their way into my work.
How would you describe your style? Are there any specific techniques or mediums that you frequently incorporate into your designs?
I would describe my work as bold, colourful and, of course, playful. Shapes and portraits are recurring subjects in my work. Working with colourful paper is a big part of my practice, as well as working digitally, but I prefer the analogue process for how unexpected and free it can be.
I’m not scared of a blank page when I work with paper, somehow having something in front of me makes it easier to start. It’s also better for my mental health because I find the physical process much more rewarding. There’s something special about seeing your work exist as an actual object rather than only on a screen.
What role does art play in your life? How does it influence or reflect your personal experiences and perspectives?
Love this question! Art and play are at the core of my existence. I’m honestly quite bored without them. I need an element of play in almost everything I do; otherwise I disappear mentally. I think when I became an adult, I became much too serious. I feared the world and I wasn’t very happy. At some point I realised that my inner child needed to be in charge, rather than my inner critic and perfectionist. That completely changed the way I work and live. Now I’m much more interested in curiosity and having fun. I think my mission (in a way) is to remind people that we’re all still children wearing big-boy pants ☺
Can you tell us a bit more about the collage style you are doing? Does it have any specific meaning to you?
I think I’ve developed my own collage “system” without really planning to. If you look closely at my work, you’ll notice that I return to certain shapes again and again… and there’s a lot of pink! I like moving shapes around until something clicks. I don’t usually start with a big message I’m trying to communicate. I start with something I like: a face, a colour, a piece of paper and follow my instincts. The meaning usually comes later, if it comes at all. I think that’s what I love about collage: you can take something that already exists and completely change its role. A piece of pink paper can suddenly become a nose or something that doesn’t exist in the real world at all.
Where can the Ucon Acrobatics community find out more about you?
You can find more of my work on Instagram at @belenchuk, where I share my art, workshops, collaborations and other creative projects. I also have my website, belenchuk.com where you can find my portfolio, upcoming events and shop. Please do reach out if you’ve got questions or interesting ideas.
What's your favourite Ucon Acrobatics product?
I love the Tristan Packable Backpack. It’s so light and convenient, which is perfect when I’m travelling to workshops or carrying my tablet or laptop around with me, especially in rainy London weather.
I also like playful Alva Half-Moon Bag in collaboration with Studio Feixen. I’m drawn to those shapes! They really speak to me as an artist and make me think about how my own shapes could exist on products. There’s something exciting about seeing an artistic idea move from a flat into a functional object that you can actually carry around and make part of your outfit.
