"Plantain - a series "Overgrow but cannot heal"" Drawing

Delnara El is a Ukrainian artist and curator born in Kyiv. Holding a master’s degree from the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, she has been living a nomadic lifestyle for many years. Since 2020, she has been primarily based in Turkey while maintaining a deep connection to Ukraine and continuing to travel extensively. Working across painting, collage, photography, and sculpture, Delnara explores themes of migration, memory, ecology, and the impact of war through the lens of the natural world. Her work reflects on the shifting meaning of home, the resilience of both people and nature, and the fragile balance between destruction and renewal. Nature serves not only as a subject but also as a metaphor through which she approaches historical, political, and personal narratives. Delnara’s work has been exhibited internationally in museums, galleries, and biennials across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including exhibitions at the CICA Museum (South Korea), the Peace Museum Vienna (Austria), and the Taras Shevchenko National Museum (Ukraine). Alongside her artistic practice, she curates exhibitions that support and promote contemporary Ukrainian art on the international stage.