To accompany the first episode of the new season of the Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Podcast by Samm Anga, Veronica Petukhov reimagines the mythological character of Lisovyk. Also known in Russian as leshy or borowy, leśnik, leśniczy, lasowik, in Polish, Lisovyk is inspired by Slavic folk tales Veronica's grandmother would tell her when she would visit her in Odesa in Ukraine. As the story goes The Lisovyk is a seldom seen forest spirit who is mostly harmless but when angered can be treacherous. Veronica reimagines this entity through a 3D environment, layering poetry over an uncanny floating forest, using augmented reality and glitchy visuals to create a hypnotic digital universe.

Watch the video component of Lisovyk in Spotify or on our website at: https://fermynwoods.org/lisovyk-veronica-petukhov/

Episode 15 of the podcast features an original audio work by Samm Anga and a discussion with Veronica Petukhov, who collaborate as audio-visual duo Muto Major.

The pair responded individually to the theme of Xylophobia, our new two-year programme funded by Arts Council England. The programme is named from the fear of wooden objects or forests, addressing related fears and issues of place and belonging which go to the heart of community feelings of exclusion from both the art world and woodland spaces.