VARVARA UHLIK
Varvara Uhlik (b. 1997, Dnipro, Ukraine) is a visual artist based between London and The Hague. Her photography deeply engages with Eastern European culture and identity, particularly examining the post-Soviet era's impact on her generation. Varvara's work dissects the enduring influence of the Soviet legacy, illuminating themes of generational trauma and the complex socio-cultural fabric of contemporary Eastern Europe.
In the wake of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Varvara's artistic journey has taken on a deeply personal dimension. This invasion has severed her direct connection to cherished elements of her heritage—places, objects, and people—confined now to memory. This loss has spurred her exploration of "access" and "non-access," central themes in her recent work that transcend physical boundaries to probe questions of identity, culture, society, and the digital versus the real.
Varvara's practice often involves fusion of analog and digital methodologies, creating a dynamic interplay between newly staged photography and archives. This approach allows her to construct visual narratives that reflect on the impermanence of surroundings and the fragility of memory, questioning how collective and individual memories are preserved in a constantly evolving world.
In 2024, Varvara was recognized as a “Ones to Watch” artist by the British Journal of Photography. Her work has been showcased at various exhibitions and photo festivals in Europe, including Encontros da Imagem in Portugal and the Milan Photo Fair in Italy. Over the past two years, she has been featured in numerous publications and platforms, such as the British Journal of Photography, Photoworks (UK), PHMuseum and See-Zeen. She was also a finalist for the Belfast Photo Festival 2024 and awarded as Highly Commended.
Through her work, Varvara Uhlik invites viewers to reflect on the transient nature of environments and the enduring power of memory. Her art stands as a testament to resilience, offering a nuanced reflection on the cultural and personal landscapes shaped by history and conflict.
CV
Based between London, UK and The Hague, NL
EDUCATION
2016-2019 BA Arts and Media Management, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
2019-2022 BA Photography, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, Netherlands
2023-2025 MA Fine Art: Media, Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, London, UK
EXHIBITIONS
2024 Encontros da Imagem, International Photography and Visual Arts Festival, Braga, Portugal
2024 Der Greif: Arles Edition, Rencontres d'Arles, portfolio screening, ParisBerlin Fotohaus, Arles, France
2024 Fotofestiwal, International Festival of Photography, portfolio screening, Lodz, Poland
2024 PhMuseum Days, International Photography Festival, portfolio screening, Bologna, Italy
2024 Verzasca Foto Festival, portfolio screening, Switzerland
2024 Kranj Foto Fest 2024, portfolio screening, Kranj, Slovenia
2024 MIA Photo Fair Milano, ‘Welcome To My Unknown’ exhibition, Milan, Italy
2024 ‘THERE IS SOMETHING NEW UNDER THE SUN’, TANK Magazine, London, UK
2023 REGENERATE: Noorderlicht International Photo Festival, Groningen, Netherlands
2023 Public Space Exhibition 2023, Altona, Hamburg, Germany
2023 Aphorism, The Holy Art Gallery, London, UK
2023 PIT, Southwark Park Galleries, London, UK
2023 Free Range, AOP Student Awards, Truman Brewery, London, UK
2022 Unfolding Territories, The Grey Space in the Middle, The Hague, Netherlands
PRESS, PUBLICATIONS
2024 British Journal of Photography, ‘Ones To Watch 2024’ Issue, London, UK
2024 Paris Photo, Carte Blanche
2023 Photography+, Photoworks, Graduate Issue, Brighton, UK
2023 Paris Photo, Carte Blanche
2023 British Journal of Photography, Carte Blanche Article
2023 PHMuseum, Women Photographers Grant
2023 See-Zeen, Magazine for Contemporary Photography, Issue #10, Fall
2023 Artdoc Photography Magazine, Enigma of Life
2021 cockroach, KABK, The Hague, Netherlands
AWARDS & SHORTLISTS
2024 PARIS PHOTO, finalist Carte Blanche
2024 Belfast Photo Festival, shortlisted, awarded “Highly Commended”
2024 Athens Photo Festival, shortlisted
2024 PhMuseum Photography Grant, shortlisted
2023 PARIS PHOTO, finalist Carte Blanche
Email: varvara.vu@gmail.com
Instagram: @varavarka