Sandra Matvejeva

& Leonidas (Pikakoka)

Visaginas, Lithuania

Designer | Founder and owner of NGO Pikakoka

ARTIST BIO

Pikakoka is a Lithuanian social organization dedicated to developing creative projects that use art as a supportive tool in the rehabilitation of people recovering from severe health-related trauma.
The studio brings together artistic practice, social inclusion, and contemporary design. Its work is centered on creating original graphic artworks that are later transformed into design objects, allowing each piece to retain its artistic identity while continuing its life beyond the exhibition space.
Particular attention is given to preserving each artist’s unique visual language through careful professional digitization and the production of museum-quality fine art reproductions, making the artworks accessible to a wider audience while maintaining the integrity of the originals.
Main Themes
Creativity as a supportive tool for rehabilitation
Recovery following severe health-related trauma
Inner transformation and the preservation of personal identity
Social inclusion through art
The relationship between art and design
An imaginary world of nature, fantastical creatures, and the interconnectedness between them
Exhibitions / Projects / Achievements
2023 — Pikakoka Social Art Project, exploring creativity as a supportive tool for the rehabilitation of people recovering from severe health-related trauma. The project culminated in an exhibition of graphic artworks, followed by their transformation into contemporary interior design objects.
2026 — Creator and project leader of “Creative Journey,” an initiative combining creative rehabilitation, exhibition practice, and the development of design objects based on participants’ original artworks.

ARTIST STATEMENT

The artistic practice of Pikakoka explores the process of human recovery after severe health-related trauma and the role of art as a supportive tool for rehabilitation. Our focus is not on diagnosis but on the individual—their ability to preserve their identity, rediscover their potential, and continue creating.
The studio originated from the personal story of Leonid, who survived a severe stroke. After losing much of his ability to move and speak, he—although naturally right-handed—had to relearn drawing with his left hand. Graphic art became a pathway back to movement, fine motor development, cognitive stimulation, and self-expression. This experience became the foundation of Pikakoka’s artistic practice and inspired its ongoing social initiatives.
The name Pikakoka itself emerged after Leonid’s stroke as one of the words created during his period of aphasia. For him, it came to express the feeling of satisfaction experienced after completing a creative work.
Graphic art lies at the heart of our practice. We work with line, rhythm, gesture, and composition, seeing them as reflections of the rehabilitation process. The line is not merely a visual element—it is a trace of movement, concentration, and the gradual recovery of lost abilities. We intentionally preserve the natural character of each artist’s gesture, believing that this individual visual language is what makes every work an authentic testimony of personal experience.
The visual language of our artworks unfolds within an imagined world inhabited by plants, birds, animals, and fantastical creatures existing together in a shared environment. These figures interact to form independent visual narratives. Rather than assigning them fixed symbolic meanings, we invite viewers to discover their own interpretations and emotional connections.
Our creative process employs artist markers, fineliners, graphic inks, and other materials that allow freedom of movement while adapting artistic practice to each creator’s physical abilities. Every original artwork is professionally digitized before museum-quality fine art reproductions are produced, faithfully preserving its colour, texture, and expressive line. When necessary, works may be enlarged, and if transformed into design objects, any modifications are made only with the artist’s approval and with the utmost respect for the integrity of the original artwork.
Within the context of AWAKENING, we believe that awakening begins at the moment a person discovers the ability to create once again.

“Awakening begins the moment a person rediscovers the act of creation”

CURATOR NOTE

Written by Aliona Muravskaja
Curator & Co-Founder of Art Chaos
Nordic Curatorial Platform & Gallery

Some people change the world through bold statements.

Sandra Matveeva changes it quietly.

Having known Sandra for many years, I have had the privilege of watching her journey unfold with remarkable patience, consistency, and integrity. She has never pursued success through haste or spectacle. Instead, step by step, with quiet determination, thoughtful discipline, and deep respect for both people and the creative process, she has built something truly meaningful.

Today, I am grateful that our long friendship has grown into a genuine professional partnership. It has given me the opportunity to witness not only Sandra’s artistic vision, but also the extraordinary impact of her life’s work.

Through Pikakoka, she has created far more than a creative organisation. She has built a community where people with disabilities are encouraged to rediscover confidence, imagination, and purpose through artistic expression. Here, art is not an activity or a pastime—it becomes a language of dignity, connection, and hope.

At the heart of this journey lies the deeply personal story of her father, Leonid. His recovery became a powerful testament to how artistic practice, working alongside medical care and rehabilitation, can support healing, restore confidence, and help people reconnect with life. What began as a family’s experience has grown into an inspiring social initiative that continues to transform the lives of many others.

For me, Sandra has expanded the role of art—from a means of expression to a means of restoration, connection, and hope. That is a rare achievement.

I warmly invite you to discover Sandra Matveeva’s work and the remarkable social projects of Pikakoka. They remind us that art does more than reflect life—it can help people find their way back to it.