Nikolina Kovalenko
Biography:
Nikolina Kovalenko, a Brooklyn-based painter with an MFA from the Moscow Art Institute, is best known for her immersive large-scale coral reef paintings and multidimensional portraiture. Her work explores themes of transformation, inner essence, and the delicate balance between humans and nature. Her work has been exhibited globally, including at MOMMA, L’Space Gallery, Makowski Gallery, Clark Gallery, and Blumka Contemporary. She has shown in the USA, UK, UAE, Sweden, Russia, Japan, Germany, France, China, Belgium, and Iceland, collaborating with organizations like Museum Week and UNESCO. Nikolina also collaborates with the Georgie Badiel Foundation, supporting clean water access in Burkina Faso. Her Utopian Reefscapes series, highlighting vanishing marine ecosystems, was featured in Forbes Mexico, reflecting her commitment to increase environmental awareness through art.
Education:
Moscow Surikov Art Institute – MFA in Visual Arts, June, 2011;
Gold Medal of the Russian Art Academy;
Universität der Künste Berlin, student exchange program, March June 2010.
Exhibitions & Art Fairs:
Museum Shows:
“Sciarsism”, MMOMA, Moscow, Russia, October-November 2021;
“Sciarsism”, The Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia; June-August 2019
Selected Solo Shows:
“Reluctant Gods” Blumka Contemporary, June-July 2024;
“Beyond Gravity”, Clark Gallery, November 2023;
“Panthalassa”, Dacia Gallery, June 2022;
Caldwell Gallery Hudson “Utopian Reefscapes”, NY October 9 – November 21, 2021;
Gitana Rosa Gallery “Dress Code” , NYC, October, 2014;
Dacia Galler “Masquerade”, NYC,July-August, 2014.
Art Fairs;
Art Palm Beach, Makowski Gallery, March 2024;
Aqua Miami, Makowski Gallery, December 2024;
Art Market San Francisco, Marloe Gallery, April 2024;
Intersect Palm Springs, Marloe Gallery, February 2024;
Aqua Miami, Marloe Gallery, December 2023;
Aqua Miami, Makowski Gallery, December 2023;
Art Market Seattle, Marloe Gallery, July 2023;
Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Makowski Gallery, July 2023;
LA Art Show, Makowski Gallery, February 2023;
Art Palm Beach, Makowski Gallery, January 2023;
Art Miami, Clark Gallery, December 2022;
Aqua Miami, Makowski Gallery, December 2022;
Art Market Hamptons, Makowski Galley, August 2022;
Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Makowski Gallery, July 2022;
Volta New York, Makowski Gallery, May 2022;
Art Market San Francisco, Marloe Gallery, April 2022;
Affordable Art Fair Stockholm, Makowski Gallery, April 2022;
Affordable Art Fair London, Makowski Gallery, March 2022;
Affordable Art Fair New York, Makowski Gallery, March 2022.
Selected Group Shows;
UNESCO+Museum Week+Culture For Causes Network “Reconciliation with the living” UNESCO HQ November 25-26, 2022;
“Beyond the Mirror”, L’Space Gallery, June-July 2024;
“Under The Perfect Canopy”, Art & Mind Center, Nagoya, Japan, March 2019;
“Heat Fusion”, Listastofan , Reykjavik, Iceland, January 2019;
“Reclamation” Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and The Trailside Nature Center at Watchung Reservation, October 2018-April 2019:
Cheryl Hazan Gallery “Unstretched” NYC, Dec., 2016-Jan., 2017;
“Rouge” Cheryl Hazan Contemporary Art , NY, Dec., 2013-Jan., 2014;
“Black & White show” Dacia Gallery, NYC, Dec., 2013-Jan., 2014;
“Dacia Universal Art Project” France, Germany, Romania, July-August, 2013;
Museum and Exhibition Complex
of the Russian Academy of Arts.
“The heirs of the great masters”, Moscow, December, 2012.
Auctions & Charities;
UNESCO+Museum Week+Culture For Causes Network “Reconciliation with the living” UNESCO HQ November 25-26, 2022;
Water Day Fundraiser by Georgie Badiel Foundation, September 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019;
Coral Reef Alliance dotating 20% of sales from Utopian Reefscapes show at Caldwell Gallery Hudson;
Water Day Fundraiser by Georgie Badiel Foundation, East Hampton, June 16th, 2019;
HHPH Remixing Public Health, June 12th, 2019;
Water Day Fundraiser by Georgie Badiel Foundation, NYC, June 5th, 2018;
Buzz Art Auction, Miami, May 2015.
Programs & Residencies
Pou;ch Cove Residency, Canada, July 2023;
Listastofan Residency, Iceland, January 2019;
Fish Factory Residency, Iceland, Sept. 2018;
ESKFF at MANA Contemporary, April-June, 2017;
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council “Artists Summer Institute”, August, 2014.
Press:
Forbes Mexico, May 20th 2024;
Coral Reef Alliance webinar “Utopian Reefscapes with Nikolina Kovalenko” November 2021;
Counting Coral “Utopian Reefscapes” interview, February 2021;
Women Of Culture “Artist Of The Month”, April 2020;
NJ Monthly “Reclamation” by Nikolina Kovalenko, October 2018;
Suburban News NJ, October 8th 2018;
NatureVolve Magazine “Saving Trees Through Art”, July 2018;
Boston Pride, May 2018;
Fine Art Connoisseur “Artist’s Masquerade”, July 2014.
Statement:
“My work explores transformation as a process of unbecoming shedding imposed identities, conditioned beliefs, and inherited narratives to reveal an untamed, original self. The organic, fluid textures mirror the psyche’s unraveling, where forms crack, dissolve, and regenerate in an endless cycle of becoming and unbecoming. Rooted in both psychological and environmental themes, my paintings blur the boundary between inner and outer worlds, drawing parallels between human metamorphosis and nature’s resilience. I am deeply interested in humanity’s psychological connection with nature and the consequences our everyday actions have on the environment. Working with fragile ecosystems, I create artwork inspired by locations specific to each project, exploring themes ranging from coral bleaching and deforestation to cultural associations with the natural world”.
