Biography

Contemporary Ukrainian artist Olga Kosheleva is a sculptor whose works transmit her passion for the protection of our Planet. This artist has been informally dubbed the "Sunglasses Girl" throughout world art salons, due to her love of wearing hand-painted sunglasses, as well as due to her works — large, two-meter-high sunglasses sculptures that are hard to miss.

Olga was born in Kyiv in 1986, the year of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. This is one of the reasons why the artist focuses so much attention on environmental problems.

The objects that come into focus — such as people, animals, plants — are inversely multiplied, emphasizing through repetition their essential essence.

Her three-dimensional surfaces tease viewers, beckoning them to plunge into a new world somewhere between reality and illusion. As we look deep inside the artwork, we start to see the amazing inner world of the Planet; we interact with the artwork and hear the voice of the Universe.

Critics say that Olga's art radiates bold, positive energy. It is light, colourful, joyful and playful art that at the same time is also the artist's reflection on the catastrophes and the pain of the Universe.

In her 20s Olga travelled extensively through Africa, Latin America, and Asia, even living for a while among the Masai in Kenya. These journeys fine-tuned her search for a balance between the natural life and the comfort of modern technology.

‘We are part of the natural world, not apart from it. Can I change this world? I'm sure that I can! I am doing this with the help of my glasses sculptures, changing the vision of people. Because nature itself is calling upon us to act!’ says Olga.

At the outset of her career, Kosheleva utilized more traditional oil and acrylic paints on canvas. In 2015, she began creating sculptures, always using found objects such as discarded wheels, bath-tubs, bicycles, telephones, and more.

Taking the ordinary and turning it into the extraordinary: Olga’s work is inspired by such masters as Andy Warhol. She feels like Warhol was channeling her brushstrokes when she painted her first pair of outsized sunglasses. “I feel like he would be wearing these sunglasses if he were alive today,” she says, smiling.

Olga’s work reflects a new stage of life on our Planet. “It is important for me that art spans all spheres of life. That is why I love to appear in unexpected places and do art performances, attracting attention to environmental threats, but focused on creating a bright future for our Universe.”

Olga Kosheleva has participated in exhibitions in the Ukraine, France, Monaco, Italy, Canada, and the USA and her work is in many private collections in Europe and the United States. In 2017, Olga received an award from the Biennale del Belvedere di San Leucio, Italy. Kosheleva’s sculpture, “Icebreakers,” was awarded the Leonardo da Vinci prize in Florence in January 2018.

Exhibitions

2021

— Roma Arte in Nuvola, Rome, Italy

— Group Exhibition "Panacea", Mystetskyi Arsenal, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Group Exhibition "Art on Money", The Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine

2019

— Scope Miami Beach, Miami, USA

— Global Vision, National Museum of Taras Shevchenko, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Art in Motion IV, Animation Nights New York's Best of Fest, Anderson Contemporary Gallery, New York, USA

— Art New York, Pier 94, New York, USA

2018

— Group exhibition “Art Winter Contemporary”, M17 Contemporary Art Center, Kyiv, Ukraine

2017

— Group exhibition “Art Autumn Contemporary”, M17 Contemporary Art Center, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Biennale del Belvedere di San Leucio, Italy

— Group exhibition “Art Summer Contemporary”, M17 Contemporary Art Center, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Solo exhibition “Art that moves”, Kyiv History Museum, Kyiv, Ukraine

2016

— Group exhibition “What If Fest”, Lavra Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Group exhibition “Moving up”, Kyiv city administration, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Solo exhibition, gallery D12, Kyiv, Ukraine

2014

— Solo exhibition “Ukrainian galaxy”, Palace of Congress, Bagnoles de l’Orne, France

— Art Monaco, Forum Grimaldi, Monaco

2013

— Solo exhibition,  gallery Lavra, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada

2012

— Group exhibition “Ukraine and France: crossroad of cultures”, Ukrainian cultural center, Paris, France

— Autumn Salon 2012, Coubron, France

— Group exhibition “Summer’s memories”, museum of Ivan Kavaleridze, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Solo exhibition “Ukrainian Firework”, Gallery Mytets, Kyiv, Ukraine

2011

— Group exhibition of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, Central House of Artists, Kyiv, Ukraine

— Solo exhibition “World around me”, museum of Ivan Kavaleridze, Kyiv, Ukraine