Vаrvаra Zelеnkо is a London based multidisciplinary artist. Born to a family of architects her interest in art was ignited at a very early age. From her parents Varvara inherited a rare talent - to notice fine details and see subtle semantic connections and meanings in objects. She was taught to understand symbolism in art and the importance of context.
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" We traveled a lot and my parents were always on the look out for visual inspiration and curiosities. They would point at something and explain the significance of it, whether its a certain type of window glass, part of decor or material. They made simple things interesting and exciting treasures for me."
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Varvara studied fine art at the State Johansson Academic Art Lyceum in St. Petersburg. In 2013 she enrolled at Central Saint Martin's in London, where she started creating cross disciplinary art pieces, performances and sculptures. After her second year she completed an internship at Pentagram Design. By the time of her graduation Varvara was already working as a freelance graphic designer and completed a theatre poster rebranding project for The Ermolova Theatre in Moscow. This project was then exhibited in the Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum and one of the posters was published in Mirko Ilić & Steven Heller's book "Head to toe".
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"Being back in Russia and submerging myself into the commercial design world was a devastating experience. A growing lack of artistic freedom made me question my identity as a creative individual."
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In 2017 after a four year break Varvara got back to painting. At the same time she started to tattoo. Working with experienced tattoo artists in a busy creative environment allowed her to quickly hone her skills. She became a professional tattoo artist and it remains her main passion and occupation to the present day.
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"I was obsessed with tattoos in my childhood. I was drawing on all of my family members and one day I created few flash sheets and brought them in to school. That's how at the age of 8 I started earning my first money - charging classmates for hand drawn "tattoos"! It's been many years since then and it was only when I found myself as a professional tattoo artist that I realised it was always a part of me."
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Apart from tattoo Varvara works in a range of water-based media as well as graphite. She finds visual pleasure in applying different textures to the painting and working in mixed media techniques. In her work Varvara merges all her knowledge of art from different periods and styles - from the Renaissance to Abstract expressionism. While visually diverse, the meaning behind her work reflects a surrealist outlook. Throughout the years the body of her work was a passion for the unknown. Varvara takes inspiration from intangible non-artistic matters such as human feelings, beliefs, fears and those lulling myths and rituals through which humans reach out to the obscure and divine. Her art is extraordinary, detailed and symbolic, with imagery borrowed from alchemy, the occult and medieval grotesque.
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" I see my work as a challenge to the viewer. My aim is to to evoke new dimensions of perception. I often see my work in motion, it expands, tells the story and it's alive. For me art is not about depicting the real world, it's about creating the world where anything is possible".
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Exhibitions:
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2018:
Group Exhibition "To Death with a smile" at MUMEDI, Mexico
2017:
Group Exhibition at the "Mir Znanii" Film festival, Lendok, St. Petersburg
2015:
Group Exhibition at Bakhrushin Theatre Museum, Moscow
Group Exhibition at Bosco di Ciliegi festival, Moscow
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Publications:
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2018:
Adam & Eve. Shaping poster featured in Mirko Ilic & Steven Heller book "Head to Toe: The Nude in Graphic Design"
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Awards:
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2016:
Creative Conscience - Highly Commended award, London
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