Firebugs Print

Yuliia Khovbosha is a Canadian-based sculptor born in Central Ukraine in 1989. She moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2023 due to war in her homeland and a threat to her life. Yuliia turned to sculpture to unveil art’s multifaceted nature without being confined to a single plane of perception. Inspired by nature’s subtleties, she explores human-nature connections and the world’s complexity. Beyond environmental concerns, the artist addresses personal themes like gender equality and wartime struggles, having experienced forced immigration from Ukraine. Meticulously crafting over a hundred plant species and expanding into the animal realm, she uses diverse materials to create realism through unique techniques. After graduating with a Bachelor of Audiovisual Arts (Kyiv International University) in 2010, Yuliia worked as a TV director for several years. Starting with creating high-realistic polymer clay flowers in 2014, Yuliia Khovbosha moved to more intricate sculptures. To express her vision, she constantly searches for new materials and even develops her exclusive tools. Her works were exposed in online and offline art exhibitions, such as “What Is Art?” Boomer Gallery, London, UK, “Hi! Hey! Hello.” The Dog and Bone Gallery, Brighton, UK, and 6th Annual Leaves and Petals Art Exhibition by Fusion Art Gallery, Palm Springs, CA, USA, where her sculpture “Vicious Circle of Life” was awarded 3rd place. She was included in the Norval Morrisseau Award for Visual Arts 2023 nominees longlist. Yuliia Khovbosha’s art was also published in Artwork Gallery Magazine and other press. ARTIST STATEMENT I turned to sculpture after extensive searching and experimenting due to its power to exhibit the artwork from various angles, unveiling its disguised visuals and impressions without being confined to a single plane of perception. My inspiration stems from nature’s patterns and details, often overlooked. Scrutiny of ordinary leaves or petals unveils their impeccability within intricate simplicity. Through my art, I reveal human-nature connections, emphasizing our mutual impact and stressing our limited knowledge of the sophisticated system we’re part of. This system stands beyond any cultural and ethnic boundaries, requiring protection to preserve the fragile balance of our planet. Yet, my art is broader than just the ecology.