Overview

Sergey Zarva was born in 1973 in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. In 1992, he graduated from the Grekov Odessa Art School. During the 90s, Zarva created various group portraits based on Soviet amateur photography: Rabbit Lovers, Household, etc. However, characters with red-violet blush and brown tan look rather like creatures from the other world than happy Soviet citizens. Hereby, the artist reflects on the grim reality behind the image of communist paradise. In the 2000s, he elaborated on this method by painting on covers of the Ogoniok magazine — he exposes muscles and paints bruises of a rotten colour on the faces of famous actors, astronauts, politicians. Several of these works were exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 2013.

 

Throughout the 2010s, Zarva introduced icons and symbols of the new era to his work — Russian politician (An Informal Meeting at the Crimean Level, 2012), covers of glamorous magazines (Elle, 2010; Vogue Beauty, 2011). Moreover, in some of his projects, Zarva appropriates family and dischargee albums or Soviet buffets (Library of Optimism, 2013). Some of his recent artworks feature characters dressed according to the 70s fashion, standing against the curtains. By doing so, the artist reimagines the iconography of a parlour photoshoot, supplementing it with attributes of a baroque portrait.

Works
Exhibitions
Exhibitions
Solo exhibitions

2019

Tomb of the Prince of Tauride. OVCHARENKO. Moscow, Russia.

 

2013

Library of Optimism. Regina Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

 

2010                      

Ogonyok. Collection Gallery. Kyiv, Ukraine.

Family Album. Collection Gallery. Kyiv, Ukraine.

Honours Board. Collection Gallery. Kyiv, Ukraine.

 

2008                    

Tin Light. Norma Gallery. Odessa, Ukraine.

 

2005                    

Discoteque. Regina Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

 

2001                      

PLAY[ogonyok]BOY, in collaboration with Lavrentiy Bruni. Regina Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

 

1999                     

Family Album. Tirs Gallery. Odessa, Ukraine.

 

 

Group exhibitions

2020

First-hand Art. A Collector’s View: Looking Back and Forward. OVCHARENKO. Moscow, Russia.

 

2018

Monumental. Presale exhibition. Vladey. Ekaterina Cultural Foundation. Moscow, Russia.

The Moscow Times. Presale exhibition. Vladey Space. Moscow, Russia.

 

2016

Tutti Frutti. Regina Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

 

2015

Balagan!!! Kühlhaus. Berlin, Germany.  

Spring Auction. Presale exhibition. Vladey. Winzavod Contemporary Art Centre. Moscow, Russia.

 

2013

Il Palazzo Enciclopedico. Venice Biennale 55. Venice, Italy.

The Team I Can't Live Without. Regina Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

Odessa School. Mystetskyi Arsenal. Kiev, Ukraine.

 

2011

Lymphatic Drainage. Small Gallery of the Art Arsenal. Kiev, Ukraine.

Ostalgia. New Museum. New York, USA.

Space Odyssey 2011. Mystetskyi Arsenal. Kiev, Ukraine.

 

2010                      

New Insincerity. Kiev Fine Art Gallery. Kiev, Ukraine.

 

2008                     

Decorative Realism. Bereznitsky Gallery. Berlin, Germany.

TOP-10 (2). Kiev Fine Art Gallery. Kiev, Ukraine.

 

2007                     

Art-raiders: First Experience. Starokonniy Market. Odessa, Ukraine.

Flies and Chicken Kiev. Starokonniy Market. Odessa, Ukraine.

I Believe! Winzavod Contemporary Art Centre. Moscow, Russia.

 

2006                     

Go, Ukraine, Go! Orange Summer Festival. Regina Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

ActuaLove. Museum of Art. Odessa, Ukraine.

 

2005                     

Art Moscow. Regina Gallery. Central House of Artists. Moscow, Russia.

Conjunctivitis. Ra Gallery. Kiev, Ukraine.

 

2004                     

Art Moscow Workshop. Central House of Artists. Moscow, Russia.

 

2000                     

At the Edge. Regina Gallery. Moscow, Russia.

 

1998
Beyond the Graph. Odessa Fine Arts Museum. Odessa, Ukraine.