2023

Hristina Novykova:

“Panonormalus” is my visual story about adaptation. After the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, I spent a year in Italy. Returning to Ukraine was accompanied by air raids, curfews, and the impossibility of reaching my native Mariupol. At the same time, I was very happy to return. Combining these mixed feelings, I started working on the “Panonormalus” project. The first shots were taken during a visit to my girlfriend’s parents in the village. My camera was far away, so I started experimenting with different modes on my phone and settled on panoramic. These images perfectly conveyed my sense of distorted reality. I continued to create panoramas in places significant to me, forming a large visual diary and reflecting on derealization, anxiety, and panic attacks that accompanied my return to the homeland. Just recently, “Panonormalus” came to an end – perhaps I have adapted?

Hristina Novykova is an artist from Mariupol who works with photography and video. She lives and works in Kyiv. In her work, she often refers to the image of the human body, exploring aspects of corporeality that are inherent in humans but unacceptable in society. In Novykova’s practice, these images exist on the edge of the disgusting and the attractive, often based on personal experiences. Girlhood, mental disorders, first love, sex, family stories – all of these are depicted in Hristina’s works with tenderness and extreme acceptance.

EDUCATION

2023 – Present: Theatre Directing at the Kyiv Municipal Academy of Performing and Circus Arts (in progress)

2022: Acting and Directing Courses at Civica di Scuola Paolo Grassi

2022: Conceptual and Art Photography Course at MYPH School

2023: Conceptual Photography Course by Roman Pyatkovka

GROUP EXHIBITIONS/FESTIVALS​​​​​​​

• 2025: “Le Baiser” exhibition – Paris, France

• 2024: Circulation(s) Festival – Paris, France

• 2024: “Generations of Resilience” – Brussels, Belgium

• 2023: “Hybrid War” in MOM Art Space – Hamburg, Germany

• 2023: “MYPH 5 YEARS ANNIVERSARY” in BAROQUE gallery – Augmented Reality

• 2023: “Baby better have my menstruation. I ain’t no museum” – Graz, Austria

• 2023: “Upplevelser av krig” in Värmlands Museum – Karlstad, Sweden

• 2023: War Photography exhibition within Re-Source Ukraine Project – Gori, Georgia

• 2023: “365 Days of Full-Scale War in Ukraine – Visual Diary” – Vienna, Austria

• 2023: Screening series “RE:COVERING HORIZONS” – Bremen, Germany

• 2023: “Chitin” exhibition – Oldenburg, Germany

• 2023: MYPH students presentation at the “Dep.artment” – Oslo, Norway

• 2023: Naibudekino Festival – Kyiv, Ukraine

• 2023: Exhibition “Prosto” – Tallinn, Estonia

• 2022: Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival (nominated: A38-STIPENDIUM) – Kassel, Germany

• 2022: Exhibition “Contraspemspero” in HFBK – Hamburg, Germany

• 2022: Screening of Ukrainian Art Films (Kyiv Biennial and Home Cinema) – Amsterdam, Netherlands

• 2022: Naibudekino Festival – Kyiv, Ukraine

• 2022: Svoyimy Slovamy Festival – Kyiv, Ukraine

• 2022: Screening at Hypnos Theatre – Malmö, Sweden

• 2022: La Guarimba Film Festival – Calabria, Italy • 2022: “MORSI” – Milan, Italy

• 2021: National Short Film Festival 2021 (Quarter-Finalist)

PUBLICATIONS 

• 2025: Queef Magazine

• 2025: Bad Seed Zine

• 2025: Sinner Magazine

• 2025: Pornceptual

• 2025: OKO Magazine

• 2025: Cavie project

• 2024: CP publishing & MYPH “Conceptual photography” book

• 2024: FRESH EYES Talent

• 2024: ZONE Magazine

• 2024: A CUP OF GALL/A CUP OF HONEY Art Book by SWAVE Magazine

• 2023: KALTBLUT Magazine

• 2023: Odesa Photo Days catalog

• 2023: Kiosk of Democracy

RESIDENCIES AND FELLOWSHIPS 

• 2022: OdesaPhotoDays program

• 2022: Stage4Ukraine theater project

WORKS IN COLLECTIONS

Grynyov Art Foundation Collection – Kyiv, Ukraine