Firebugs Print

Yuliia Khovbosha is a Canadian-based sculptor, born in 1989 in Petrove, Kirovohrad region, Ukraine. In the spring of 2022, she was forced to leave her home in a suburb of Kyiv due to the threat of occupation and active military operations in the area. This displacement ultimately led to her relocation to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2023. This experience has significantly shaped her artistic perspective, reinforcing her focus on themes of fragility, resilience, and the interconnection between humans and nature. She holds a Bachelor of Audiovisual Arts with a specialization in Cinematography and Video Production from Kyiv International University (2010). Her academic training focused on directing for film and television. Before transitioning to visual art full-time, she worked as a TV director for several national broadcasters in Ukraine. It gave her a solid grounding in visual storytelling that continues to shape her sculptural work. Yuliia started sculpting in 2014, focusing on highly realistic polymer clay and cold porcelain flowers. What began as a study of plants has grown into a practice covering over a hundred plant species she has sculpted, and expanding into the animal realm. She chose sculpture because it allows her to explore art from many angles, rather than being limited to a flat surface. Inspired by nature’s small details, she uses various materials and techniques to express the complexity of the world. In addition to environmental ideas, Yuliia explores personal themes like gender equality, wartime struggles, and the challenges of forced migration, drawn from her experience. Her works reflect the beauty and fragility of nature, but also its strength and resilience. This duality symbolically echoes human nature. To bring her vision to life, she’s always looking for new materials and even develops her exclusive tools. This approach allows her to expand what’s possible in mixed-media clay sculpture. “To me, art isn’t just about the artist’s message. It also reflects what each person brings to it through their own story, feelings, and way of seeing the world. I want my sculptures to speak differently to everyone, no matter what I originally meant.” — Yuliia Khovbosha Recognition & Achievements Her works have been exhibited in online and offline art exhibitions, including “What Is Art?” at Boomer Gallery, London, UK, “Hi! Hey! Hello.