Born in 1985 in Kyiv (Ukraine), the daughter of a tailor and accountant.
"I spent my childhood in the Soviet Fashion House in Kyiv and in various workshops where my father worked. As the only child in the family, I had room for my own fantasy world."
Maria Vashchuk's background shimmers through in her layered work. For example, her use of color is typical of the former Soviet Ukraine. And the depiction of textiles was influenced by her fashion-minded home environment. Starting from emotions, the canvas for Maria Vashchuk is a way of connecting psychological and societal issues with her artistic practice. The artistry comes organically after, partly because of, Vashchuk's studies (Ph.D.) and psychology practice.
Reflected in a broader social context, the viewer is given an insight into the intimate life of the artist. Where relationships, family, identity, and love play a significant role without literally portraying them. The exposure of personal processes is shielded by literal and figurative layers that require individual interpretation. For example, faces are left out in portraits, and the story becomes something universal. Composition and human connections/interactions thus become more prominent in her oeuvre.
Maria Vashchuk's work has been exhibited in various shows in the Netherlands, in Belgium, and has been selected as a part of the LIA program in Leipzig, Germany, where the artist was a resident (2020-2021). The artist lives and works in Haarlem, the Netherlands.
Selected Exhibitions
2023
The Blue of Longing (group) | October 7 - November 5 | De Vishal | Haarlem | NL
Art for Freedom (trio, curator Bastiaan Gribling) | October 27 - November 28 | De Koepel | Haarlem | NL
Het leven betrapt: Binnen kijken bij Verwey en Vashchuk (duo, curator Pao Lien Djie) | 3 March - 25 June | Verwey Museum Haarlem | NL
Luk’s keuze (group, curator Luk van Driessche) | April 28 - May 19 | Wackers Art Academy | Amsterdam | NL
2022
Zandvoorts Museum (group) | October 14, 2022 - January 15, 2023 | Zandvoort aan Zee | NL
/The Platform | At the coast (group) | July 16 - August 2 | VCRB Gallery | Knokke | BE
Big Art Fair | June 23 - 26 | Spring will never be the same | Hembrug terrein | NL
/The Platform (duo) | March 17 - April 17 | VCRB Gallery | Antwerp | BE
Nieuw Land (solo) | March 5 - 13 | Castellvm Aqvae | Bloemendaal | NL
Celebration (group) | February 5 - March 12 | Josilda da Conceição Gallery | Amsterdam | NL
2021
Dwaalwegen (group) | October 30 - November 21 | De Vishal | Grote Markt 20, Haarlem | NL
Big Art Fair | September 30 - October 3 | Josilda da Conceição Gallery | Hembrug terrein | NL
Art Week Amsterdam | June 17 - June 27 | Josilda da Conceição Gallery | Amsterdam | NL
'Continuation' (double solo with Tom Kraanen) | May 29 - June 12 | Josilda da Conceição Gallery | Amsterdam | NL
De Woonkamer (solo) | March 5 - April 10 | Gallery Kruis-Weg68 | Haarlem | NL
Between Intimacy and Alienation (group) | March 8 - May 2 | De Vishal | Haarlem | NL
2020
Rosebud (group) | October 17 – November 8 | De Vishal | Grote Markt 20, Haarlem | NL
Working period at LIA-programme, Leipzig International Art Programme | November 2 – January 29 | Leipzig | DE
2019
Together (duo) | November 16 - December 8 | Gallery De Kolk | Spaarndam | NL
Die Wahlverwandtschaften | October 19 - November 3 | De Vishal | Grote Markt 20, Haarlem | NL
Salon des Artistes 2019 (40 women artists) | September 14-29 | Ateliers BaZtille | Zoetermeer | NL
So Far So Close (group, curator) | July 13 - August 11 | De Vishal | Haarlem | NL
2018
Het Atelier (group) | November 2-11 | De Vishal | Haarlem | NL
Connected, Kleine Zaal | September 15 - October 14 | De Vishal | Haarlem | NL
The Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition (group) | March, 21-31 | Mall Galleries | London, UK
Shell Technology Center (solo) | March-April | Amsterdam (Noord), NL
Grants / Residencies
Support from Stichting CultuurKoepel for the exhibition project in de Koepel | 2023
Support from Het Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds | 2023
Support from Mondriaan Fonds | 2021
Support from Stichting Gerbrandy Cultuurfonds for working period at LIA Programme | 2020
Utopa Huis Art Residency | January 3 - 10, 2022 | Friesland | NL
LIA-programme, Leipzig International Art Programme | November 2, 2020 – January 29, 2021 | Leipzig | DE
Collections
DELA Art Collection
Private collections