IRYNA MAKSYMOVA

Born and raised in a small town in the western part of Ukraine called Kolomyia, Ukraine, Iryna Maksymova is a contemporary figurative painter based in Lviv. After graduating from the graphic design department of Lviv Polytechnic National University in 2013, she began her artistic journey in 2020 with her first solo show in Lviv. Since then she has participated in various group shows in Ukraine and around the world. Maksymova quickly gained acclaim for her wildly inventive visual language combining Ukrainian folk art motifs, avant-garde gestures, and fantastical themes. With her figurative and naive artworks she gives an innocent and easy voice to world problems that touch her personally, like feminism, ecology, and animal rights. She constantly seeks new ways to incorporate traditional Ukrainian motifs into fresh visual forms, cultivating a Ukrainian primitivist spirit. Vibrant colors, primal mark-making, and subversive humor imbue her works with an irrepressible spirit. With foundations in both tradition and impulse, Maksymova's imaginative paintings aim to inspire reflection on social issues while spreading optimism and joy.

Maksymova's canvases burst with an irrepressible joie de vivre. Her magical scenes may seem surreal, yet they give voice to universal human truths in a language all their own.

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01

The Vibrant Voice of Iryna Maksymova

With her contemporary figurative works, Ukrainian artist Iryna Maksymova has quickly established a reputation for imaginative, issues-driven painting. Maksymova began her art journey just two years ago, leaving behind a career in graphic design to pursue her true passion. Now based in Lviv, the self-taught artist creates wildly inventive scenes populated by magical beings and voluptuous, goddess-like women.

While Maksymova's works possess a fantastical, otherworldly quality, they are firmly rooted in real issues that touch her on a personal level. Through humor and subversion, she explores feminism, animal rights, and humanity's connection to nature. Vibrant colors, energetic mark-making, and intimate subject matter imbue her paintings with a joyful, dynamic spirit. For Maksymova, art is catharsis, social commentary, and celebration blended into one.

02

Maksymova's Unique Visual Language

Maksymova has developed a singular style that draws on various influences yet remains entirely her own. Traces of Ukrainian avant-garde, folk art, and street art can be seen in her primal mark-making and folkloric themes. The artist also cites emotional experiences as inspiration for her narrative scenes and vulnerable protagonists. By fusing imagination with urgent social issues, Maksymova has forged a unique visual vocabulary. Her works may seem playful and eccentric, but they give voice to deeply-felt human truths. For this forward-thinking artist, painting is personal liberation and creative activism blended into one.

01

The Vibrant Voice of Iryna Maksymova

With her contemporary figurative works, Ukrainian artist Iryna Maksymova has quickly established a reputation for imaginative, issues-driven painting. Maksymova began her art journey just two years ago, leaving behind a career in graphic design to pursue her true passion. Now based in Lviv, the self-taught artist creates wildly inventive scenes populated by magical beings and voluptuous, goddess-like women.

While Maksymova's works possess a fantastical, otherworldly quality, they are firmly rooted in real issues that touch her on a personal level. Through humor and subversion, she explores feminism, animal rights, and humanity's connection to nature. Vibrant colors, energetic mark-making, and intimate subject matter imbue her paintings with a joyful, dynamic spirit. For Maksymova, art is catharsis, social commentary, and celebration blended into one.

02

Maksymova's Unique Visual Language

Maksymova has developed a singular style that draws on various influences yet remains entirely her own. Traces of Ukrainian avant-garde, folk art, and street art can be seen in her primal mark-making and folkloric themes. The artist also cites emotional experiences as inspiration for her narrative scenes and vulnerable protagonists. By fusing imagination with urgent social issues, Maksymova has forged a unique visual vocabulary. Her works may seem playful and eccentric, but they give voice to deeply-felt human truths. For this forward-thinking artist, painting is personal liberation and creative activism blended into one.