Maryna Semenkova

Maryna Semenkova is a multimedia artist and researcher from Ukraine who is deeply engaged with pressing social issues and the exploration of human experiences. She currently resides in Berlin, where she actively participates in the contemporary art scene. Her artistic practice is diverse and spans various mediums, including performance, photography, video, and installation. Through her work, she often intertwines her own personal experiences with the shared memories of conflict, exile, and historical narratives concerning women, creating a rich tapestry that resonates with audiences on multiple levels. With a robust academic background in law and over fifteen years' experience in meditation and psychotherapy, she views art not merely as a form of expression but as a profound political and healing act. Maryna explores complex themes such as eco-feminism, identity, trauma, and postcolonial memory, masterfully interweaving her own personal narratives with broader socio-historical contexts.

Her groundbreaking work has been exhibited internationally in numerous countries, including Germany, France, Finland, the USA, and her homeland, Ukraine. Notable projects such as RED UTOPIA (Munich, 2022), which features a captivating 77-hour knitting performance of a striking red flag, and Paragraph 24 (Somos, Berlin, 2024), exemplify her remarkable 'surgical' precision with diverse materials alongside her acute ecological consciousness.

Following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Semenkova went into exile and broadened her artistic exploration to include the significant and often painful transmission of trauma across generations. She focuses particularly on female trauma and the delicate yet powerful act of remembrance. Her ongoing project INSIDE (2025) combines immersive performance and installation to trace the intricate lineage of transgenerational memory, drawing connections from her grandmother's forced labour in Hamburg during WWII to her family's present-day displacement. This project is a heartfelt endeavour to highlight the resilience of women and their histories in light of adversity. Additionally, she is also continuing her intense work on RED UTOPIA and preparing a thought-provoking project titled Sense of Home, which delves into themes of displacement and migration, conducted in collaboration with the Nelimarkka Museum in Finland. Simultaneously, she is featured in the compelling film The Loom as both a captivating protagonist and a performance artist. This film intricately explores her ongoing research into intergenerational trauma and eco-feminism through the lens of her family's rich yet complex history. Currently in post-production, it is highly anticipated that the film will be released in 2026, bringing her story and her unique perspectives to a wider audience.

Learn more about Maryna Semenkova ⭆ 🌐