About

“ For me, creativity is what gives life meaning. I simply cannot imagine my life without art. ”
— Lu

Biography

I was born in 1971 in the Kyiv region of Ukraine and graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in 1994. At first, I worked as a designer, but in 2014, I devoted myself completely to painting. I had a successful career in Ukraine and participated in numerous personal and group exhibitions in Ukraine and Europe.

I participated in a significant project with Ukrainian artists, "Ucraina TERRA LIBERA", at the Venice Biennale in Italy, where I exhibited three essential works from my series "Gardens of Mysteries". These works were shown in Venice, Milan, Florence, and Rome from 2022 to 2023.

Due to Russia's attack on Ukraine, I had to leave my homeland. Since June 2022, I have been living and making art in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. My art delves into human nature and personality, often expressed through symbolism and expressive forms. I draw inspiration from various sources, including ancient Roman art, modernism, more recent symbolism, and surrealism.

My works are in private collections worldwide; I participated in international competitions and held personal exhibitions.

A significant milestone and experience was my stay in July 2024 in an art residency in Pouch Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, where I worked with artists from the US and the world.

My work is currently represented in the James Beard Gallery, and the gallery also represents me on ARtsy - the most famous art platform in the world.

In 2026, I had a wonderful creative experience at the UHA Art Residency, Port Union Art House, Newfoundland, where I started my painting project "Water".

Since May 2026, I have been a member of the Ukrainian Association of Visual Artists of Canada - USOM, Toronto

about my art

I started my first attempts at professional drawing while studying at the Academy of Arts. Where I studied architecture course. The development of spatial vision, the study of academic painting and drawing, composition, and communication in the circle of artists - all influenced me and laid the seed of a constant need for self-expression and self-realization through painting. I devoted a significant period of my life to graphic and advertising design and worked in many advertising companies in Kyiv. He had experience working as a character designer at an animation studio. But I always knew that drawing is what keeps me going, what brings true joy and satisfaction. So, since 2014, I have fully devoted myself exclusively to art. By that time I had already participated in some exhibitions. (My first personal exhibition took place back in 1996 at the "Irena" gallery in Kyiv).

2022 is a terrible year for all Ukrainians. Having overcome a long way, fleeing from war, I set foot on the shores of Canada. Only at the end of the year did I find the strength to restore mine artistic practice. My first major painting in the beautiful country of Newfoundland and Labrador was called "Home" 2022, which depicts a woman with snails against the background of a burning house. Recently, I have created dozens of paintings here. Participation in several ACC exhibitions in St.John’s in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, I spent the month of July at the Pouch Cove Art Residence, NL. It was a fruitful and unforgettable experience. My paintings on the Artsy platform are presented by the James Beard Gallery.

My early works were very expressive and bright in both color and style. At that time, I was very inspired by early 20th century modernist artists Matisse, Picasso, Gauguin and Modigliani. I presented these works at 5 personal exhibitions in Odesa, Kyiv and Lviv. Later, my painting studies culminated in a series of works that I exhibited in galleries Ukraine and Europe. For example, the series of works in 2019 was called "Big ears, or Aristocracy of the inner world." This is a phantasmagoric series of works where all people were depicted by Hares. This is a kind of game with the viewer who, looking at the pictures, absolutely believes in the authenticity of these heroes.

In 2019, I was invited to Warsaw (Poland) to create a mural based on my sketch. The 2020 series of works "Garden of Mystery" is inspired by the ancient art of Ancient Rome. Works from this series were published in 2021 by The Aerogramme Center for Arts and Culture in the American art magazine “The Mobile Library”. Three large works from this series were presented during 2022 as part of the Ucraina TERRA LIBERA project in Italy in the cities of Venice, Milan, Rome and Florence. In 2021, I created several works in the style of retro and geometric shapes, inspired by the artist Escher. As for the meanings that I put into the paintings, each of my works has a philosophical and symbolic subtext. I try to stir up the viewer's imagination and thoughts, to enable him to "read" what he saw and feel his own emotions from art.

Exhibitions and events

  • Summer Group Show, Leyton Gallery, St.John’s, NL, Canada, 2026

  • Art Residence at Port Union Art House, UAH, NL, Canada, June 2026.

  • “Christmas Exhibition”, Red Ocher Gallery, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 2025

  • Exhibition “IMPACT 2025”, Neilson Park Creative Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2025

  • Exhibition “Form, Faces & Spaces” /CONTACT Festival/, Halton Hills Cultural Centre, Georgetown, ON, Canada, 2025

  • “Spring Exhibition”, Red Ocher Gallery, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 2025

  • Exhibition “UNCLAIMED TREASURE”, James Baird Gallery, Pouch Cove, NL, Canada, 2024

  • Exhibition “Woman 2024” James Baird Gallery, Pouch Cove, NL, Canada

  • Art Practice at Pouch Cove Art Residency during July 2024. Paintings featured on Artsy by James Baird Art Gallery NL, Canada.

  • “Self-Portrait”, ART Centre ACC, St. John’s, Canada, 2023

  • “Final exhibition of the year” (to the 60th anniversary of the Art Association NL), St. John’s, Canada, 2022

  • "Ucraina TERRA LIBERA", Venice Art Gallery, Retrospective exhibition in Milan, Florence, Venice, and Rome, 2022-2023, as part of the 59th Venice Biennale

  • Catalog Mobile Library "Mythology" The AEROGRAMME CENTER for ARTS and CULTURE, USA, 2021

  • Virtual exhibition "Portrait", ART SHOW INTERNATIONAL GALLERY, USA, 2021

  • Virtual exhibition "Landscapes", ART SHOW INTERNATIONAL GALLERY, USA, 2021

  • Gallery "Colors", Personal exhibition, Kyiv, 2021

  • Tadzio Gallery, Exhibition "Kisses", Kyiv, 2021

  • Museum of History, Kyiv Exhibition "One Day After" Kyiv, 2020

  • FICE Foundation, Warsaw, 2019

  • ART Center AIZONE Kyiv, 2019

  • Gallery "Location" Solo exhibition, Kyiv, 2017

  • Gallery "Stuka" Exhibition "Unimagined Stories" Lviv 2016

  • Personal exhibition "Odesa Stained Glass" Art - the center of Odesa in 2015

  • Personal exhibition "Road to the Sun" Art Center - Markiv 2014 Odesa

  • Personal exhibition "Desserts" Art Gallery - Au Petit Brussels, 2014 Kyiv

  • Exhibitions Gallery - Griffin 2006 Kyiv

  • Exhibitions Gallery - Griffin 2005 Kyiv

  • Exhibition Gallery - Irina 2004 Kyiv

  • Solo exhibition in Sozopol, Bulgaria

  • Exhibition Gallery - Lavra, 1998 Kyiv

  • Solo exhibition Gallery - Irina, 1996 Kyiv

  • Exhibition "Autumn Collection", 1995 Kyiv

  • Studying at the National Academy of Arts and Architecture (1988-1994) Kyiv