Mariia Zhuravel

I am Mariia Zhuravel (b. 1997), an artist based in Ukraine.

I studied architecture at university. After graduating, I decided to devote my time to art and develop my practice in this direction. I previously worked in an art center where I explored art history, and I now work from my own studio as artist.

I create acrylic paintings of cubist cityscapes, driven by a desire to continue the legacy of the Ukrainian avant-garde that was interrupted by the aggressor. This serves as my act of resistance in the struggle to preserve Ukrainian cultural memory.

Another medium in my practice is watercolor, through which I convey more intimate emotional experiences. The theme of war and Ukraine's survival runs throughout my work, yet I consciously avoid literal depictions of the events. Instead, I explore how this reality has altered my consciousness, creating cityscapes through the prism of my own lived experience. I express these profound emotions through visible forms in nature and the urban environment, where watercolor becomes a tool for capturing vulnerable inner states.
Accepting that I can draw imperfectly is also a big part of my creative process.

My art education began in Rivne, where I studied fine arts at the Palace of Children and Youth (2010–2014) and practiced academic drawing at Podolets Studio (2013–2014). Later, I studied architecture at the university in Rivne, followed by illustration at Projector Creative & Tech School. Currently, I am pursuing a Master's degree in Memory Studies and Public History.

Group Exhibitions:
"Action" – National Center "Ukrainian House", Kyiv, Ukraine, October 2021.
"I am Ukraine" – Oude Kerk, Delft, Netherlands, Dec 2022 – Feb 2023.
"Stand with Ukraine" – One Art Space, New York, USA, April 2022.
"Brave Art" – StellART NFT Gallery, July 2022.
"Uart" – Zafferana Etnea, Etna, Italy, July 2022.

Personal Exhibitions:
“A Daily Choice” – U.ART Gallery, Heslinki, Finland, June 2026