Elena Chestnykh “Connection/Disconnection"

Elena Chestnykh “Connection/Disconnection" 2023

Painting: Oil on Canvas, Collage
Dimensions: 40 x 42 in
Unique
Signed on Verso, includes a certificate of authenticity.

Elena Chestnykh was born in Novosibirsk, Russia, and currently lives and works in New York. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Erarta (MCAE) in Saint-Petersburg, the Art Center WINZAVOD, in Moscow, the Art State Museum of  Novosibirsk, in Russia, and Nord Art 2010, Rendsburg, Germany. In 2013, "Urban Reflections" traveled to the New York Erarta Gallery and became Chestnykh’s first solo exhibition in the United States. In 2022, Elena Chestnykh’s personal exhibition "Woman in Landscape" was presented at Space 776 Gallery, NYC. In 2023, her solo show "Songs of Summer" was shown at The Untitled Space Gallery, NYC. Also, Chestnykh's artwork was exhibited in group shows at The Untitled Space, SFAprojects Gallery, The Royal Gallery in NYC, Trenton Artwork Center, NJ, and The Feminist Biennial at Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Il.

“In my artistic practice, I create oil paintings, watercolors, and sculptural objects to explore themes of gender, body, and identity. Through my work, I investigate various facets of human existence, focusing on a woman actively searching for and creating her sense of self while finding empowerment. This woman acknowledges her body and sexuality as integral parts of her being. She navigates a world defined by ambition, disappointment, and entrenched patriarchal attitudes—a modern, ever-evolving society shaped by globalization, migration, and political realities. I view the female body as a source of vitality, desire, and strength. My focus on the body is deeply influenced by my immigrant experience. Having left my homeland and everything I once knew, I realize that my body remains inseparable from me. It is my own, an anchor that grounds me in reality. My new paintings, "Endless Feast" and "Subway Girl," are part of a series dedicated to contemporary New York City and its residents. They depict individuals I encounter in my daily life—on the city's streets and in the subway. New York's uniqueness lies in the cultural diversity of its inhabitants and the spirit of freedom and self-expression. This variety of racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, styles, and forms of self-expression is a hallmark of humanism and tolerance, which we should not take for granted but support and nurture. Tolerance involves acknowledging and respecting the wide array of human expressions and lifestyles, while also addressing injustices and promoting inclusivity.” - Elena Chestnykh

Learn more about her work on our website.