Katya Lesiv
b. 1993, Ukraine
visual artist, photographer
Currently lives and works between Ukraine and Finland.
She is educated with a MA from National Academy of Fine Art and Architecture in Kyiv (2017). Works with the topics of cyclicality, physicality, emotional and sensitive experience, motherhood. She works in various media genres such as art book, photography, object, installation, graphics, video. Her particular interest is the exhibition of the book as an object in space. The art book “Lullaby 1” belongs to the world’s top-100 photobooks “How We See: Photobooks by Women” according to 10×10 Photobooks. Artbook “I love you” was shortlisted by Aperture PhotoBooks Award in 2022.
Education
2017 – Master of Fine Arts (National Academy of Fine Art and Architecture, Kyiv).
2017 – author’s course of Pavlo Makov in IZONE in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Upcoming exhibitions
June 2024 – solo exhibition I love you in The Stein Studio, Kyiv.
Solo exhibitions
2024 – I love you in Hippolyte, Helsinki.
2023 – You can spend a night in the Villa in Villa Elaintarha, Helsinki.
2023 – I am. Rada in BUNK hotel, Utrecht.
2022 – I am. Rada in Uusi Kipinä Gallery, Lahti.
2018 – LULLABY in YaGallery, Ukraine.
Selected exhibitions
2023 – IAMUARE, Los Angeles.
2023 – State of Emergence, NYC
2023 – Hostynets, the Stein studio, Kyiv.
2023 – How are you, UMCA, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2023 – Ukrainian Perspectives: Photography from the 1940s–Now, New York.
2023 – Whispers and Shouts. Voices of Ukrainian Women Photographers, Fotodok, Utrecht.
2022 – 2022 PhotoBook Awards traveling exhibition (Paris, United States).
2022 – The Splitting and Space Between, Augusta gallery, Suomenlinna.
2021 – Not Bliss But Relief at the festival Photobook Week Aarhus 2021, Denmark.
2020 – Is routine a ritual?, Artsvit Gallery, Ukraine.
2019 – (Re)Context. Stories, Mala Gallery, Mystetskyi Arsenal, Ukraine.
2019 – Biennale of Young Art in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2018 – project research What do you want? (with Katya Libkind) in Port creative hub, Ukraine.
2017 – SILVESTROV 80 in Plivka space, Ukraine.
2017 – Festival of Young Ukrainian Artists in Mystetskyi Arsenal, Ukraine.
2016 – Book Arsenal in Mystetskyi Arsenal, Ukraine.
2016 – RYSOWAĆ NATURALNIE in Torun, Poland.
Residencies
2023 – 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 – artbook I love you was shortlisted by Aperture PhotoBooks Award.
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 in the “Graphics” nomination, Ukraine.
2015 – 1 prize in the All-Ukrainian drawing contest in Kiev.