.jpg)
Katya Lesiv
b. 1993, Ukraine
visual artist, photographer
Currently lives and works between Ukraine and Finland.
Lesiv works with the topics of cyclicality, physicality, emotional and sensitive experience, and motherhood. Her artistic practice explores the sense of presence through materiality of a variety of disciplines and media, including photography, art book, installation, object, text, graphics and moving image. Performative method, often rooted in routine rituals, is a way to encapsulate and share intimate experiences while safeguarding personal space. In her practice, Lesiv works with the body of the book, which often serves as the final form of her work.
Lesiv’s works have been exhibited in several solo exhibitions in Ukraine, Finland and Netherlands and in curated group exhibitions worldwide. Her art book “Lullaby 1” belongs to the top 100 photobooks of “How We See: Photobooks by Women” according to 10×10 Photobooks. Her art book “I love you” was shortlisted by Aperture PhotoBook Awards in 2022. She was nominated by ISSP to join FUTURES Platform in 2024. Lesiv is a member of the Association of Photographic Artists in Finland and Finnish Darkroom Association.
EDUCATION
2017 Master of Fine Arts, National Academy of Fine Art and Architecture, Kyiv
2015 Bachelor of Fine Arts, National Academy of Fine Art and Architecture, Kyiv
2017 author’s course of Pavlo Makov, IZONE, Kyiv
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 The Stein Studio, Kyiv / I love you
2024 Hippolyte, Helsinki / I love you
2023 Villa Elaintarha, Helsinki / You can spend a night in the Villa
2023 BUNK hotel, Utrecht / I am. Rada
2022 Uusi Kipinä Gallery, Lahti / I am. Rada
2018 YaGallery, Kyiv / LULLABY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 Pinchuk Art Centre, Kyiv / The beast came out of the forest
2025 Dim42, Lviv / Walks with Plastic Dinosaurs
2024 Yermilov Centre, Kharkiv / Sense of Safety
2024 Breda Photo Festival, Breda / Destinations
2024 YaGallery, Lviv / Ver Sacrum
2024 Capture Phography Festival, CSA Space, Vancouver / Her Presence
2024 91 Gallery, Frankfurt / Hostynets
2024 Milk for Teo / flat exhibition, Kyiv
2023 I AM U ARE fair, Los Angeles / Four Slag Heaps
2023 NADA East Broadway, NYC / State of Emergence
2023 Galerie Géraldine Banier, Paris / LensofInnocence
2023 The Stein Studio, Kyiv / Hostynets
2023 UMCA, Kyiv / How are you
2023 Ukrainian Perspectives: Photography from the 1940s–Now / New York
2023 Fotodok, Utrecht / Whispers and Shouts. Voices of Ukrainian Women Photographers
2022 PhotoBook Awards traveling exhibition (Paris, United States)
2022 Augusta gallery, Suomenlinna / The Splitting and Space Between
2021 Photobook Week Aarhus, Denmark / Not Bliss But Relief
2020 Artsvit Gallery, Dnipro / Is routine a ritual?
2019 Mala Gallery, Mystetskyi Arsenal, Kyiv / (Re)Context. Stories
2019 Biennale of Young Art, Kharkiv, Ukraine
2018 Port Creative Hub, Ukraine / What do you want? (with Katya Libkind)
2017 Plivka art space, Ukraine / SILVESTROV 80
2017 Festival of Young Ukrainian Artists, Mystetskyi Arsenal, Ukraine
2016 Book Arsenal, Mystetskyi Arsenal, Ukraine/ Semenko100
2016 RYSOWAĆ NATURALNIE, Torun, Poland
MEMBERSHIP
since 2024 Futures, The Netherlands
since 2023 Finnish Darkroom Assosiation
since 2024 Association of Photographic Artists (VTL)
RESIDENCIES
2025 Scattered communities, Ukraine
2023-2024 HIAP, Finland
2022 Saari, Finland
2021 SHLAGBAUM, Ukraine/Germany
2019 (Re)Context. Stories, Kyiv, Ukraine
2017 Borders and boundaries, Khmelnytskiy, Ukraine
2017 ArtSchool Biruchiy, Poland
2015 Velykiy pereviz, Ukraine
COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS
2022 finalist of the Best Book Design award in Ukraine
2022 art book I love you was shortlisted by Aperture PhotoBook Awards
2021 finalist of the 2021 Best Book Design competition in Ukraine
2019 was shortlisted for the Ukrainian Modern Photography National Award in the Opening of the Year category
2019 was shortlisted for the Best Book Design award in Ukraine
2018 3rd place in the Best Book Design award in Ukraine
2017 winner of the Dummy Award at Rodovid Publishing, Ukraine
2017 Anatoly Kryvolap Prize winner, Ukraine
2015 All-Ukrainian drawing contest winner