Nikolina Kovalenko
Artist Bio Artist Work
Nikolina Kovalenko, a Brooklyn-based painter with an MFA from the Moscow Art Institute, is best known for her immersive large-scale coral reef paintings and multidimensional portraiture. Her work explores themes of transformation, inner essence, and the delicate balance between humans and nature. Her work has been exhibited globally, including at MOMMA, L’Space Gallery, Clark Gallery, and Blumka Contemporary. She has shown in the USA, UK, UAE, Sweden, Russia, Japan, Germany, France, China, Belgium, and Iceland, collaborating with organizations like Museum Week and UNESCO. Nikolina also collaborates with the Georgie Badiel Foundation, supporting clean water access in Burkina Faso. Her Utopian Reefscapes series, highlighting vanishing marine ecosystems, was featured in Forbes Mexico, reflecting her commitment to increasing environmental awareness through art.
Education
June 2011 M.F.A. in Visual Arts, Moscow Surikov Art Institute
March - June 2010 Universität der Künste Berlin, student exchange program
Programs & Residencies
July 2023 Pouch Cove Residency, Canada
January 2019 Listastofan Residency, Iceland
September 2018 Fish Factory Residency, Iceland
April -June, 2017 ESKFF at MANA Contemporary
August 2014 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council “Artists Summer Institute”
Selected Solo Shows
2024
"Reluctant Gods" Blumka Contemporary
2023
"Beyond Gravity", Clark Gallery
2022
"Panthalassa", Dacia Gallery
2021
Caldwell Gallery Hudson “Utopian Reefscapes”, NY
2014
Gitana Rosa Gallery “Dress Code”, NYC
Dacia Gallery “Masquerade”, NYC
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024
"Beyond the Mirror", L'Space Gallery
2022
UNESCO+Museum Week+Culture For Causes Network "Reconciliation with the living", UNESCO HQ
2019
"Under The Perfect Canopy", Art & Mind Center, Nagoya, Japan
“Heat Fusion”, Listastofan , Reykjavik, Iceland
2018-2019
“Reclamation” Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
The Trailside Nature Center at Watchung Reservation
2016-2017
Cheryl Hazan Gallery "Unstretched" NYC
2013-2014
“Rouge” Cheryl Hazan Contemporary Art, NYC
“Black & White show” Dacia Gallery, NYC
2013
“Dacia Universal Art Project” France, Germany, Romania
Museum and Exhibition Complex of the Russian Academy of Arts.
2012
"The heirs of the great masters", Moscow
Museum Shows
2021
"Sciarsism", MMOMA, Moscow, Russia
2019
"Sciarsism", The Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Art Fairs
2025
Art Palm Beach, Makowski Gallery
2024
Aqua Miami, Makowski Gallery
Art Market San Francisco, Marloe Gallery
Intersect Palm Springs, Marloe Gallery
2023
Aqua Miami, Marloe Gallery
Aqua Miami, Makowski Gallery
Art Market Seattle, Marloe Gallery
Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Makowski Gallery
LA Art Show, Makowski Gallery
Art Palm Beach, Makowski Gallery
2022
Art Miami, Clark Gallery
Aqua Miami, Makowski Gallery
Art Market Hamptons
Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Makowski Gallery
Volta New York, Makowski Gallery
Art Market San Francisco, Marloe Gallery
Affordable Art Fair Stockholm, Makowski Gallery
Affordable Art Fair London, Makowski Gallery
Affordable Art Fair New York, Makowski Gallery
Auctions & Charities
2022
UNESCO+Museum Week+Culture For Causes Network "Reconciliation with the living" UNESCO HQ
2019
Water Day Fundraiser by Georgie Badiel Foundation
Coral Reef Alliance donating 20% of sales from the Utopian Reefscapes show at Caldwell Gallery Hudson
Water Day Fundraiser by Georgie Badiel Foundation, East Hampton
HHPH Remixing Public Health
2018
Water Day Fundraiser by Georgie Badiel Foundation, NYC
2015
Buzz Art Auction, Miami
Press
Forbes Mexico
Coral Reef Alliance webinar "Utopian Reefscapes with Nikolina Kovalenko"
Counting Coral “Utopian Reefscapes” interview
Women Of Culture “Artist Of The Month”
NJ Monthly "Reclamation" by Nikolina Kovalenko
Suburban News NJ
NatureVolve Magazine “Saving Trees Through Art”
Boston Pride
Fine Art Connoisseur “Artist’s Masquerade”