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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).
2017 – author’s course of Pavlo Makov in IZONE in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Membership
since 2023 – Finnish Darkroom Assosiation.
since 2024 – Association of Photographic Artists (VTL).
Solo exhibitions
2024 – I love you, The Stein Studio, Kyiv.
2024 – I love you, Hippolyte, Helsinki.
2023 – You can spend a night in the Villa, Villa Elaintarha, Helsinki.
2023 – I am. Rada, BUNK hotel, Utrecht.
2022 – I am. Rada, Uusi Kipinä Gallery, Lahti.
2018 – LULLABY, YaGallery, Kyiv.
Selected exhibitions
2024 – Sense of Safety, Yermilov Centre, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2024 – Destinations, Breda Photo Festival, Breda.
2024 – Ver Sacrum, YaGallery, Lviv.
2024 – Her Presence, Capture Phography Festival, CSA Space, Vancouver.
2024 – Hostynets, 91 Gallery, Frankfurt.
2024 – Milk for Teo, flat exhibition, Kyiv.
2023 – Four Slag Heaps, I AM U ARE fair, 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 – 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 – 1 prize in the All-Ukrainian drawing contest in Kiev.
Published Art books
2020 – I love you, Ist Publishing.
2017 – Lullaby 1, Rodovid Publishing.