SALLIA (Sofia Kozeniuk)

Sallia (Sofia Kozeniuk), a Ukrainian artist, is an internationally acclaimed contemporary artist with a strong presence in the NFT and meta-modern art scenes.

Biography of Sallia (Sofia Kozeniuk)

Sallia dedicated 12 years to her artistic education, including seven years in art school and five years at the Academy of Fine Art. Following the russian invasion in 2014, she resided in Kyiv and Lviv from 2015 to 2022. Presently, she is located in the United States.

At the age of 10, she embarked on her artistic journey by enrolling in art school. With dedicated guidance from her teacher, she excelled and proudly graduated with honors at the tender age of 17. That very year, she gained admission to one of the nation's finest Art Academies, situated in Lviv. Starting from her second year at the Academy, Sophia delved into the profound realms of psychology and explored spirituality, transcending religious boundaries. This remarkable journey culminated in her earning a degree in psychology.

She has established collaborations as an instructor with renowned Ukrainian educational institutions such as ArtCraft School, Projector Institute, and Skvot. Her courses consistently revolve around a core theme: the integration of psychology into the realm of digital painting and the embodiment of the human figure in art. She specializes in working with 2D digital art and virtual reality, applying her expertise to both mediums.

Sallia's Artistry: A Journey into Profound Emotions and Deconstructed Realities

Sallia's artwork constitutes a collection of animated paintings, each dedicated to profound emotions that connect us to our humanity. Each painting serves as a metaphor for a distinct feeling, personifying a unique goddess responsible for that state. 

The artist intentionally distances herself from conventions to capture enduring sincerity in its most delicate form, avoiding abrasive elements. Displacement due to migration and changes in residence compelled her to break free from her cultural roots. Her firsthand experiences in areas of active military conflict in Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 have left an indelible mark on her, prompting the preservation of the emotions experienced during critical moments, enabling a deeper and more genuine expression through her art.

By combining the tactile materiality of her brushwork with the semi-abstract, ethereal touch of vivid and profound colors, the artist harmoniously blends seemingly contradictory elements: empiricism and pragmatism, lightness and depth, clarity and spatial ambiguity. She creates deconstructed images that delve into themes exploring the elusive nature of the unknown.

Throughout her career, she actively participated in a variety of exhibitions:

• In 2016, she was featured in the Fine Art Exhibition at the Academy of Art in Lviv.
• In 2017, her artwork was on display at the Department of Restoration Exhibition in the Museum of Sheptytsky, also in Lviv.
• In 2019, she hosted a personal exhibition titled "Psychological Portrait" at a private gallery in Lviv, while also taking on a role as a lecturer for "Psychology of painting" at the Academy of Arts in the same city.
• In 2020, she took part in an exhibition in Barcelona that showcased Wide Format Oil Painting.
• In 2021, she conducted lectures on anatomy and academic painting as part of an online program at the Projector Institute, and she also delivered lectures at the ArtCraft International online school, focusing on digital portraiture.
• In 2022, she presented an Exhibition-VR performance in Bali and was featured in the "Free People" exhibition in Istanbul, which explored the blockchain economy. She also exhibited at the "Metaverse Born" showcase in Chicago and displayed her artwork at an exhibition in Rome hosted by @mecenatefineart. Furthermore, she participated in the Digital and Contemporary Art Show "NFT Generation" at Via Trento 12 Ortigia, Siracusa, Sicily, and in blockchain-focused events in Istanbul in July 2022, making notable contributions to the NFT art scene.