Yulia Ovchinnikova (born in 1992, Krasnoyarsk region, Kansk) is a visual artist working with photography, objects, collage and embroidery.
Yulia is a member of the Union of Photographers of Russia, a scholarship holder of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, a laureate and finalist of Russian and international competitions such as "Young Photography", "Young Photographers of Russia" (honourable mention of the jury), "ARGUS: Photography among the Arts", "Sony World Photography Awards" Professional competition, a participant of group exhibitions in Russia and abroad.
Artist Statement:
"In my work I explore the multifaceted and contradictory experience of motherhood, a complex phenomenon in which love, fear, sacrifice and hope are intertwined. Through the prism of my personal experiences, I address the social role of women, their invisibility, secondary status and vulnerability. I am also concerned with the fragility of personal memories, the sense of loss and nostalgia that build the emotional foundation of my work.
The basis of my artistic endeavour is not only my own experiences, but also the stories of the women in my family, family memory, and the stories and experiences of other women I encounter in the process. My social mission is to make visible those feelings and conditions that are traditionally hidden or condemned by society, giving them a voice and a space to be understood.
I prefer to remain in the position of observer, avoiding direct narration through faces. In my work I more often use portraits without a face or objects that help to emphasise the archetypal and universal nature of the heroines, their emotional and symbolic weight, allowing the viewer to find their own meanings and experiences. My personal sensory experience becomes a link between the individual and the collective, creating a space for dialogue and empathy."
Selected group exhibitions
- 2025
‘Giving Life’ - an exhibition based on the results of the All-Russian festival and competition ‘Young Photography - 2025’, July 2025.
‘Invisible Women’, "Object. Heritage. Significance‘ - an exhibition based on the results of the Young Artist's Laboratory ’The Story of One House", Tutor Sergey Poteryaev, curators Lukiya Murina, Nikolai Isaev. Russia, Tomsk, Museum of Wooden Architecture, April 2025.
‘Giving Life’ - exhibition of finalists of the competition "Argus-2024. Photography among the Arts" at the Winter International Festival of Arts, Russia, Sochi, Winter Theatre, March 2025.
- 2023
‘Raisa’ - exhibition ‘There is no time’, cultural and exhibition centre ‘Bashnya’, Yoshkar-Ola, April 2023.
‘Red Corner’, “Raisa” - exhibition of finalists of the All-Russian contest ‘Young Photographers of Russia 2022’, cultural and exhibition centre ‘Bashnya’, Yoshkar-Ola, January 2023.
2022
‘Red Corner’, “Raisa” - exhibition of finalists of the XXI All-Russian photo contest ‘Young Photographers of Russia 2022’, Kaluga, Tula, Krasnoyarsk, July-October 2022.
‘Red Corner’ - Sony World Photography Awards 2022 exhibition, Somerset House, London, UK.
Competitions and grants
- 2025
Laureate of the All-Russian Festival and Contest ‘Young Photography - 2025’, July 2025.
Long-list of the festival and contest ‘Young Photography - 2025’, May.
Scholarship of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation to a talented young author of artistic works, April.
Short-list of the competition "Argus-2024. Photography among the Arts‘ in the nomination ’Photo Series. Sign. Image. Space", January.
- 2023
Scholarship of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation to a talented young author of artistic works, August.
Short-list for the Argus-2023 competition in the nomination "Photo series. Sign. Image. Space", February.
- 2022
Diploma ‘Honourable Mention of the Jury’ of the XXI All-Russian Photo Contest ‘Young Photographers of Russia-2022’, July.
Long-list of the XXI All-Russian Photo Contest ‘Young Photographers of Russia-2022’, July.
Short-list of Sony World Photography Awards 2022 in the Creative - Professional competition category, February.
Press
- 2025
‘Tomsk Review’, results of the Young Artist Lab, June.
‘Kanskie Vedomosti’, interview, June.
‘Skillbox Media’, interview on the project ‘Giving Life’, February.
- 2024
‘Russian Photo’, interview, ‘Red Corner’ project, April.
Education
- 2025
Young Artist's Laboratory ‘The Story of One House’, Tomsk, Siberian branch of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. Tutor Sergey Poteryaev, curators Lukiya Murina, Nikolai Isaev.
- 2024-2025
Author's school of Elena Sukhoveeva and Victor Khmel.
- 2021-2023/2024
Academy of documentary and art photography ‘Fotografika’.
- 2021-2025
Author's courses of Yulia Pavlova.
- 2012-2016
National Institute of Business, speciality Jurisprudence, Bachelor of Jurisprudence.