Vanishing

Yulia Lenina was born in 1978 in Saratov (Russian Federation).

Attending the Art School as a child she then chose a technical university to achieve her degree in programming. Still, art was always in her mind and soul. In 2003 she moved to Moscow. Working in IT and sales during 15 years, in 2015 she got back to the painting. In 2019 she discovered the collage and since then it is her second main technique to work with. In 2019 she quit the job to be a full time artist.

She explores such personal themes as interaction of a human being with the Universe, trust to the world and chance. Collage is another tool for Yulia to explore the relations between an artist and the world. She applies even more abstraction to it.

Yulia Lenina currently lives and works in Moscow and Kyiv and is studying in Kyiv Academy of Media Arts.

She is represented by AG Gallery Moscow (Winzavod) and Artflood Gallery (Moscow-London). Her works are in private and public collections in Russia, UK, Scotland, Turkey and Ukraine.

Artist Statement

In my art practice I explore topics such as human interaction with the universe, trust in the world and the phenomenon of chance. As a person, I constantly ask myself: where is the line between chaos and control, chance and fate? When can I influence the result, and when can I just accept the situation and adapt to it? As an artist, I am looking for a balance between which idea I want to express and the ability to give the floor to the medium I work with. Thus, I myself become a "medium", a part of the creative process.

I am obsessed with color, it is my passion and the engine of the creative process both in painting and in collage.

In my work with painting, I chose a landscape as a symbol of the world around us. First, an idea appears in my head, its color image and structure, which are the starting point. Then the journey into the unknown begins: I often act intuitively, without a clear preliminary plan. At this point, I interact with, honor and play with chance: I follow the media, each time deciding whether it works for my idea. Using the expressive movement of the entire arm and body, I create a complex object from layers of paint, color and texture.

The final image of the landscape is interesting for its abstractness, when everyone sees in it something of their own, belonging only to him. Instead of displaying real reality, I give the viewer freedom of imagination, bringing to life associations, emotions and memories. I send him on his own journey, providing an opportunity to expand his perception of reality.

In the collage, my images are completely abstract. Magazine pages torn at random symbolize that very chance and accident, and my task as an artist is to transform chaos from scattered pieces into a single harmonious whole. It is a dialogue on equal terms, an interaction between the outside world and my inner self, when I accept and adapt what the world gives.

Abstract shapes, complex textures, layering, unpainted parts of the canvas or torn edges of collages give a sense of the complexity and diversity of the world which I am a part of.