MARIA LEONOVA is an artist from Kyiv, Ukraine. Maria made a series of six photo portraits of Ukrainian women who moved to Finland, adding fragments of memories of native parts of Ukraine. This project is about feelings and emotions, about what is with us forever. Our memories.
The work was the result of a stay at the residence in Vantaa and cooperation with the Center for Helping Ukrainians (Community of Ukrainians in Finland).
MARIA LEONOVA | residency artist exhibition | Gjutars-residenssitaiteilijan näyttely
Huom. Näyttelyn aukioloajat:
- ma 12.2. klo 17-19 avajaiset, tervetuloa! taiteilija paikalla | Mon 5-7 p.m. Opening, Welcome! meet the artist
- ti 13.2. klo 14-18 taiteilija paikalla | Tue 2-6 p.m. meet the artist
- ke | Wed 14.2. 12-18
- to | Thu 15.2. 11-17
Many Ukrainians were forced to go abroad after the full-scale invasion. Communication with relatives and friends from Ukraine has moved online. Are these connections always clear? Are different experiences complementary or more divisive? What unites us? What was left when you had to move and build a new life?
I made a series of six photo portraits of Ukrainian women who moved to Finland, adding fragments of memories of native parts of Ukraine.
This project is about feelings and emotions, about what is with us forever. Our memories. The work was the result of a stay at the residence in Vantaa and cooperation with the Vallila Help Center for Ukrainians (Ukrainian Association in Finland).
MARIA LEONOVA is an artist from Kyiv, Ukraine.
Now a member of the group Ukraine Solidarity Residencies (The HIAP residency programme).
Maria often addresses her own identity, touching on the theme of time, the vulnerability of the world and the individual. For her, artistic practice is primarily an expression of her own experience, often drawing parallels between personal and social contexts. The best way to convey this state is to use fragile and transparent materials. Recently, she also uses photography, which helps to convey the emotional state in a more documented way. Often her projects look like layered compositions where different media are combined to fill the space with an overarching theme.