Ambiguous agent of change...

art, fashion & theory

Yelena Myshko

Yelena Myshko

Born in Kyiv, Ukraine
Based in Zutphen, the Netherlands


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Publications

AWARDS
2021 Copenhagen 60Seconds Festival Award (shortlisted)
2019 Kunstschouw Award (2nd place awarded)
2019 Walter Koschatzky Art-Award (nominated)
2018 BLOOOM Award by Warsteiner (nominated)

RESIDENCIES
2023 Bureau Postjesweg, partially self-funded
2023 Vlindertuin de Kas, self-funded
2020-now An Artist Residency in Motherhood, self-funded
2019 Arts Unfold: Naked State, Fonds Kwadraat loan

SOLO EXHIBITIONS (recent)
2023 An Artist Residency in Motherhood, Bureau Postjesweg, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (recent)
2023 Kunstbeurs Zutphen, Hanzehal, Zutphen, the Netherlands
2023 Venus in Fur, STUDIO TAKI, Johannesburg, South Africa
2023 Queer Currents Festival, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2023 Emomé Art International Festival of Arts in the Street, Lomé and Kpalimé, Togo, Africa
2023 ANTIWAR INKTOBER: Feminist Antiwar Resistance, Altes Finantzamt, Berlin, Germany
2023 De Vernieuwers #5: Salon des Refusés, IDFX, Breda, the Netherlands
2022 SMIFF Seoul Metro International subway Film Festival, Seoul, South Korea
2022 Klimaatexpo '22, Museum de Fundatie / Castle Het Nijenhuis, Wijhe, the Netherlands
2022 Amstelveen En Plein Air, COBRA Museum of Modern Art, Amstelveen, the Netherlands
2022 Crisis Kunst part 1, NIFFO Project Space, Rotteram, the Netherlands
2021 After is Now, 14th Edition Copenhagen 60Seconds Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark
2021 AUSTRAL from the Virtual Realm, AUSTRAL Performance Art Festival, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2021 The Fifth International Biennial of Nude “Marko Krstov Gregović”, Public Institution Museums and galleries of Budva, Budva and Petrovac, Montenegro

Biography



Yelena Myshko is a multidisciplinary artist based in Zutphen, the Netherlands. She was born in Kyiv, Ukraine in 1985. Myshko holds a BA from Utrecht School of the Arts, MA from ArtEZ University of Arts and MSSc from Linköping University. Her background is in fashion design and gender studies, in addition performance art plays an integral part in her practice since Myshko was introduced to it in 2005.

Her interest in politics led to an affiliation with the international protest group FEMEN for two years. Myshko participated in bootcamps and actions in Germany, France and the Netherlands, eventually becoming the leader of FEMEN Netherlands. This experience influenced her artistic tone of voice and visual language.

Myshko exhibited in the Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Portugal, Montenegro, Russia, South Korea, Colombia, Argentina, Canada and USA. She was nominated for the BLOOOM Award 2018 (DE), Walter Koschatzky Art-Award 2019 (AT) and won 2nd place at Kunstschouw Award 2019 (NL). Her work is published in the news, magazines and books.



Artist Statement



As an ambiguous agent of change, I propose an alternative perspective on topical societal issues by projecting them on my body. I perform in front of the camera to create intimate images that reach the audience through reproduction, turning to social media, newspapers, magazines, and TV to document my story. In this way, I explore identity production of this day and age.

Speaking my truth no matter the consequences, clashes with the world. I try capturing this moment and grab attention to provoke associative thinking. As a result, my work is often unsettling; it pinches and makes you look twice.

I employ mundane aspects of ordinary life as a weapon to destroy conventional beauty and propose a counterfeit. Whether I abandon make-up, pick everyday objects, blunt body language or choose costume, body paint, and elegant movement, the challenge always is to use simple means in resourceful ways.




Studio


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