Nika Neelova
Born in 1987 in Moscow, Russia. She currently lives and works in London, UK. She graduated with a BA degree from the Royal Art Academy in The Hague (2008) and an MA degree in Sculpture from the Slade School of Art in London (2011). Over the years, she has participated in numerous international projects. Her solo exhibitions were held in London, Italy, Germany, Brussels, and the Netherlands. Nika Neelova’s works are in private and museum collections all over the world.
‘Working primarily with sculpture and large sculptural installations, Nika Neelova’s work seem to inhabit a post-human world in which human needs and definitions have long since been forgotten, remaining only as a vestigial memory in the forms of the sculptural subjects. Abstracted and seemingly evolved over countless generations from their ancestors; recognisable everyday objects have moved past the functionality once imposed upon them and become something new and different. Neelova’s work, imaginatively speaking, steps outside the Holocene radically shifting the temporal frames of reference within which we would locate art, appearing as a dream about a future space and time.’
‘Sailing on Solaris’ by Nick Hackworth
‘Working primarily with sculpture and large sculptural installations, Nika Neelova’s work seem to inhabit a post-human world in which human needs and definitions have long since been forgotten, remaining only as a vestigial memory in the forms of the sculptural subjects. Abstracted and seemingly evolved over countless generations from their ancestors; recognisable everyday objects have moved past the functionality once imposed upon them and become something new and different. Neelova’s work, imaginatively speaking, steps outside the Holocene radically shifting the temporal frames of reference within which we would locate art, appearing as a dream about a future space and time.’
‘Sailing on Solaris’ by Nick Hackworth
CV
Born in 1987 in Moscow, Russia
Lives and works in London, UK
Education
2011 MA Fine Art Sculpture, - distinction, Slade School of Art, London
2008 BA Fine Art Interdisciplinary, - distinction, Royal Art Academy, The Hague
Solo shows
2019 EVER, The Tetley, Leeds, UK
2019 GLYPHS curated by Domenico de Chirico, Noire Gallery, Turin
2018 drifts (there is always ground, even at night), MLF Brussels
2017 lemniscates, Independent, Brussels
2016 FAULTS / FOLDS / FALLS, Vigo Gallery, London
2015 Faults, Folds, Falls, Vigo Gallery, London
2014 I lean to you numb as a fossil. Tell me I’m here, Ron Mandos Gallery, Amsterdam
2013 Fragments Shored Against the Ruins, Vigo Gallery, London
2013 North Taurids. Following the Meteor Shower, RBS, London
2011 Involuntary Fractions, Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin, Germany
2011 Monuments, Charlie Smith Gallery, London
2009 Attitudes to a Miss, Christus Triumphatorkerk, The Hague
Group shows
2020 Silence is so accurate, Geukens & de Vil Antwerp, Curated by Lien Craps, Belgium
2019 Hortus Conclusus, Fondazione 107, Turin
2018 She sees the shadows, curated by Olivia Leahy and Adam Carr. DRAF & Mostyn, UK
2018 DAMA curated by Domenico de Chirico, Palazzo Saluzzo Paesana, Turin
2018 Prevent This Tragedy, Post-Institute London, UK
2017 XVII. The Age of Nymphs, curated by Daria Khan, Mimosa House, London
2017 Theatre of the Absurd, curated by Yasmin Atassi, Green Art Gallery, Dubai
2017 lithic seventeen with Yelena Popova, Code, Copenhagen
2017 Artist Rooms, Copeland Gallery, Bussey Building London
2017 The opposite of Now, curated by Encounter Contemporary, Guest Projects, London
2017 Contemporary Sculpture Fulmer, UK
2017 Micro Salon (1957-2017) l’inlassable Paris
2017 The Opposite of Now, Guest Projects, London
2017 Blue Seventeen, Osnova gallery, VinZavod, Moscow
2017 New Material, ATP Gallery London
2017 Leidenschaft, Museum ArtPlus, Germany
2017 Seventeen, Centrala, Birmingham
2017 London Fashion Week in collaboration with Qasimi, Somerset House London
2016 Antislip, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
2016 Habitus, curated by Matthew Burrows, The Observer Building, UK
2016 A city without a song, curated by StudioCurArt Paris, The Averard, London
2016 Playroom, Union Art’s Club Soho, London
2015 ARCHEOLOGIA E ARCHITETTURA, Fondazione 107, Turin
2015 The Sky is a mountain, Stifelsen 3, 14, Norway
2015 The Presence of Absence, Berloni, London
2015 Art Rotterdam, Van Nellefabrick, Rotterdam
2014 Brand New Second Hand, Vigo Gallery, London
2014 Warp&Woof, The Hole Gallery, New York
2014 The Crisis Commission curated by Laurence Sillars, Strand Gallery and Christie’s London
2014 Lichtspiele, Museum Biedermann, Germany
2014 Art 14 exhibiting with Vigo Gallery, London
2013 Great Men Die Twice, Casa da Cultura da Comporta and Mario Sequeira Gallery, Portugal
2013 Gaiety is most outstanding feature of the Soviet Union, Saatchi Gallery London
2013 White Nights, PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art, Russia
2013 The Future Can Wait 2013, Victoria House, London
2013 It’s About Time (curated by Paul Carey-Kent), ASC Gallery, London
2013 The Future Can Wait, Victoria House, London
2013 MacMillan Charity Auction, Royal Academy of Art, London
2013 Dismantling, Group show, Jarmuschek+Partner, Berlin
2013 Volta 9 Basel, exhibiting with Jarmuschek+Partner, Basel
2012 Royal British Society of Sculptors Bursary Award Exhibition, London
2012 Saatchi New Sensations and The Future Can Wait, Victoria House, London
2012 Recasting the Gods, Sumarria Lunn Gallery, London
2012 Dividing Line, curated by Sumarria Lunn Gallery, High House, Oxfordshire
2012 Christie’s Charity Auction, The Crisis Commission, Christie’s London
2012 The Crisis Commission, Somerset House, Group Show, London
2012 RAW Rotterdam, ArtFair, Charlie Smith Gallery, Rotterdam
2011 Reworking Memories, Group Show, Federica Schiavo Gallery, Rome, Italy
2011 The Future Can Wait presents: Polemically Small, Group Show, Charlie Smith London, UK
2011 The Future Can Wait, Group Show, Victoria House, London, UK
2011 Involuntary Fractions, Solo Show, Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin, Germany
2011 Charlie Sierra Lima, Group Show, Charlie Smith, London, UK
2011 3 Worlds in 1, London International, Group Show, Klaipeda, Lithuania
2011 Paris Fashion Week, QASIMI Homme, Paris, France
2011 Volta 7, Jarmuschek + Partner Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
2011 The Future Can Wait presents: Polemically Small, Torrance Art Museum, United States
2011 London Art Fair, Charlie Smith London
2010 Saatchi Gallery and Channel 4’s New Sensations, Boswall House, London
2010 The Future Can Wait, Shoreditch Town Hall, London
2010 Young Gods, Charlie Smith Gallery, London
2010 MFA Degree Show, Slade School of Art, London
2010 The Grove, Public Art Commission, Keukenhof, Lisse
2009 Open Studios, Slade School of Fine Art
2009 Interim Show, Woburn Galleries, London
2009 Carpet IV, Scheltema Center, Leiden
2009 Carpet IV, Dance piece, Royal Conservatory, The Hague
2009 Memento, Galerie 37, Haarlem
2008 Paraat #4, Best of graduates 2008, RonMandos gallery, Amsterdam
2008 Graduates Exhibition, Royal Academy of Fine Art, The Hague
2008 KunstVlaai, Amsterdam, (exhibiting with Stichting Artes)
2008 Carpet III, Dance piece, Performance, Royal Conservatory, The Hague
2008 Untitled: Artist in building, Former KPN building, The Hague
Commissions
2017 NOVA public art commission, Victoria, London
2015 Land Securities Commission, One New Ludgate, London
2012 The Crisis Commission, Somerset House, London
Grants and residencies
2019 Fondation CAB residency Brussels, Belgium
2016-2017 Syllabus residency Wysing Art Centre, UK in association with Studio Voltaire, Spike Island Bristol, New Contemporaries, S1 Space, Eastside Projects
2017 Fibra Residency Colombia (forthcoming)
2016 Awarded Nova Art Commission London, UK
2015 Stiftelsen 3,14 Residency, Bergen, Norway
2013 Sculpture Shock Award & Residency, London
2013 Villa Lena Art Foundation Residency, Italy
2012 Royal British Society of Sculptors Bursary Award, London
2011 Awarded Olga Roubinskaya Foundation Award
2011 The Land Securities Prize Award, London
2011 The Saatchi Gallery and Channel 4 New Sensations First Prize, London
2010 Kenneth Armitage Foundation, The Fifth Annual Young Sculptors Prize
2010 Residency at the Kurt Schwitters Merzbarn, Littoral Arts Trust, UK
Collections
DRAF David Roberts Art Foundation Collection, London
Saatchi Gallery Collection, London
Museum Biedermann Collection, Germany
PERMM Museum of Modern Art Collection, Russia
Beckers Collection, Sweden
Beth De Woody Collection, New York
Jason Martin Collection, Portugal
Levett Collection, London
Land Securities Commission, London
Quasimi Homme Collection, Paris
Ian Rosenfeld Collection
Private Collections UK, Germany, France, Russia, The Netherlands
Publications
2018 She sees the shadows, Mostyn gallery and DRAF
2018 An artwork for the end of the world by Chelsea Pettitt, Sculptor Vox
2017 Art Monthly Review of Seventeen Centrala Birmingham review
2017 this is tomorrow review ‘Seventeen’ Centrala Birmingham review
2017 Art Research Map, review of Independent Brussels 2017
2017 White Hot Magazine, review of Independent Brussels 2017
2017 AroundArt.org review of Blue Seventeen by Y. Ginsbourg
2017 Scandale Project magazine and publication Art is.
2016 Sailing on Solaris, by Nick Hackworth
2016 Sculpture Shock Publication, RBS London
2016 Review and Interview, FMS magazine London
2015 Art and Religion in the 21st Century, by Aaron Rosen, Thames&Hudson publishing
2015 The Presence of Absence, Paul Carey-Kent, London
2014 100 London Artists, by Edward Lucie-Smith
2014 Highlike Book, Electronic Language International Festival and SESI publishing
2014 The Language of Sculpture, Crowood Press
2014 Aesthetica Catalogue, Artists Reviews
2014 Lichtspiele, Museum Biedermann
2013 Gaiety is the most outstanding feature of the Soviet Union, Saatchi Gallery Catalogue
2013 PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art Exhibition Catalogue
2013 Nika Neelova Short Feature Film, Crane TV
2013 Russian Art is Hot says the Saatchi, Huffington Post
2013 Interview Feature, Near East Magazine
2013 Interview and exhibition review, Formidable Magazine
2012 ‘Salvaged Memories’ Interview, Phaidon
2012 1883 Magazine Interview and exhibition review
2012 Royal British Society of Sculptors Bursary Award
2012 Christie’s Auction Catalogue The Crisis Commission
2012 The Crisis Commission Catalogue
2011 The Catlin Guide, Selected Artists
2011 ‘The moment before collapse’, K Magazine
2011 Nika Neelova: Memories of Now by Paul Carey-Kent
2011 ‘Monuments’ New Style Magazine
2010 ‘Future art stars cause a New Sensation’, Exhibition review, Evening Standard
2010 Short feature film, Channel 4 & Saatchi New Sensations
Press
2013 Nika Neelova Short Feature Film, Crane TV
2013 Russian Art is Hot says the Saatchi, Huffington Post
2013 Interview Art and Surrender, Near East Magazine
2013 Interview and exhibition review, Formidable Magazine
2012 Nika Neelova Feature Film | Crane TV
2012 Russian Art is Hot says the Saatchi| Huffington Post
2012 Phaidon Interview ‘Salvaged Memories’| www.phaidon,com
2012 1883 Magazine, Interview | www.1883magazine.com
2012 RIA Novosti| en.rian.ru
2012 The Voice of Russia, Radio Interview | english.ruvr.ru
2011 ‘The moment before I collapse’ Interview K Magazine, KABK, The Hague
2011 Nika Neelova: Memories of Now by Paul Carey-Kent| SaatchiOnline.com
2011 'Monuments' New Style Magazine| Nika Neelova
2010 Evening Standard| ‘Future art stars cause a New Sensation’
2010 3 minute feature film, Channel 4 & Saatchi New Sensations
2010 A-N Magazine| News
2010 Financial Times| Dusty, rubble-strewn and quietly radiant
2009 Kerk in Den Haag| Licht krakende schommels
2008 Den Haag Central “Jong talent groeit in Den Haag”
Lives and works in London, UK
Education
2011 MA Fine Art Sculpture, - distinction, Slade School of Art, London
2008 BA Fine Art Interdisciplinary, - distinction, Royal Art Academy, The Hague
Solo shows
2019 EVER, The Tetley, Leeds, UK
2019 GLYPHS curated by Domenico de Chirico, Noire Gallery, Turin
2018 drifts (there is always ground, even at night), MLF Brussels
2017 lemniscates, Independent, Brussels
2016 FAULTS / FOLDS / FALLS, Vigo Gallery, London
2015 Faults, Folds, Falls, Vigo Gallery, London
2014 I lean to you numb as a fossil. Tell me I’m here, Ron Mandos Gallery, Amsterdam
2013 Fragments Shored Against the Ruins, Vigo Gallery, London
2013 North Taurids. Following the Meteor Shower, RBS, London
2011 Involuntary Fractions, Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin, Germany
2011 Monuments, Charlie Smith Gallery, London
2009 Attitudes to a Miss, Christus Triumphatorkerk, The Hague
Group shows
2020 Silence is so accurate, Geukens & de Vil Antwerp, Curated by Lien Craps, Belgium
2019 Hortus Conclusus, Fondazione 107, Turin
2018 She sees the shadows, curated by Olivia Leahy and Adam Carr. DRAF & Mostyn, UK
2018 DAMA curated by Domenico de Chirico, Palazzo Saluzzo Paesana, Turin
2018 Prevent This Tragedy, Post-Institute London, UK
2017 XVII. The Age of Nymphs, curated by Daria Khan, Mimosa House, London
2017 Theatre of the Absurd, curated by Yasmin Atassi, Green Art Gallery, Dubai
2017 lithic seventeen with Yelena Popova, Code, Copenhagen
2017 Artist Rooms, Copeland Gallery, Bussey Building London
2017 The opposite of Now, curated by Encounter Contemporary, Guest Projects, London
2017 Contemporary Sculpture Fulmer, UK
2017 Micro Salon (1957-2017) l’inlassable Paris
2017 The Opposite of Now, Guest Projects, London
2017 Blue Seventeen, Osnova gallery, VinZavod, Moscow
2017 New Material, ATP Gallery London
2017 Leidenschaft, Museum ArtPlus, Germany
2017 Seventeen, Centrala, Birmingham
2017 London Fashion Week in collaboration with Qasimi, Somerset House London
2016 Antislip, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
2016 Habitus, curated by Matthew Burrows, The Observer Building, UK
2016 A city without a song, curated by StudioCurArt Paris, The Averard, London
2016 Playroom, Union Art’s Club Soho, London
2015 ARCHEOLOGIA E ARCHITETTURA, Fondazione 107, Turin
2015 The Sky is a mountain, Stifelsen 3, 14, Norway
2015 The Presence of Absence, Berloni, London
2015 Art Rotterdam, Van Nellefabrick, Rotterdam
2014 Brand New Second Hand, Vigo Gallery, London
2014 Warp&Woof, The Hole Gallery, New York
2014 The Crisis Commission curated by Laurence Sillars, Strand Gallery and Christie’s London
2014 Lichtspiele, Museum Biedermann, Germany
2014 Art 14 exhibiting with Vigo Gallery, London
2013 Great Men Die Twice, Casa da Cultura da Comporta and Mario Sequeira Gallery, Portugal
2013 Gaiety is most outstanding feature of the Soviet Union, Saatchi Gallery London
2013 White Nights, PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art, Russia
2013 The Future Can Wait 2013, Victoria House, London
2013 It’s About Time (curated by Paul Carey-Kent), ASC Gallery, London
2013 The Future Can Wait, Victoria House, London
2013 MacMillan Charity Auction, Royal Academy of Art, London
2013 Dismantling, Group show, Jarmuschek+Partner, Berlin
2013 Volta 9 Basel, exhibiting with Jarmuschek+Partner, Basel
2012 Royal British Society of Sculptors Bursary Award Exhibition, London
2012 Saatchi New Sensations and The Future Can Wait, Victoria House, London
2012 Recasting the Gods, Sumarria Lunn Gallery, London
2012 Dividing Line, curated by Sumarria Lunn Gallery, High House, Oxfordshire
2012 Christie’s Charity Auction, The Crisis Commission, Christie’s London
2012 The Crisis Commission, Somerset House, Group Show, London
2012 RAW Rotterdam, ArtFair, Charlie Smith Gallery, Rotterdam
2011 Reworking Memories, Group Show, Federica Schiavo Gallery, Rome, Italy
2011 The Future Can Wait presents: Polemically Small, Group Show, Charlie Smith London, UK
2011 The Future Can Wait, Group Show, Victoria House, London, UK
2011 Involuntary Fractions, Solo Show, Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin, Germany
2011 Charlie Sierra Lima, Group Show, Charlie Smith, London, UK
2011 3 Worlds in 1, London International, Group Show, Klaipeda, Lithuania
2011 Paris Fashion Week, QASIMI Homme, Paris, France
2011 Volta 7, Jarmuschek + Partner Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
2011 The Future Can Wait presents: Polemically Small, Torrance Art Museum, United States
2011 London Art Fair, Charlie Smith London
2010 Saatchi Gallery and Channel 4’s New Sensations, Boswall House, London
2010 The Future Can Wait, Shoreditch Town Hall, London
2010 Young Gods, Charlie Smith Gallery, London
2010 MFA Degree Show, Slade School of Art, London
2010 The Grove, Public Art Commission, Keukenhof, Lisse
2009 Open Studios, Slade School of Fine Art
2009 Interim Show, Woburn Galleries, London
2009 Carpet IV, Scheltema Center, Leiden
2009 Carpet IV, Dance piece, Royal Conservatory, The Hague
2009 Memento, Galerie 37, Haarlem
2008 Paraat #4, Best of graduates 2008, RonMandos gallery, Amsterdam
2008 Graduates Exhibition, Royal Academy of Fine Art, The Hague
2008 KunstVlaai, Amsterdam, (exhibiting with Stichting Artes)
2008 Carpet III, Dance piece, Performance, Royal Conservatory, The Hague
2008 Untitled: Artist in building, Former KPN building, The Hague
Commissions
2017 NOVA public art commission, Victoria, London
2015 Land Securities Commission, One New Ludgate, London
2012 The Crisis Commission, Somerset House, London
Grants and residencies
2019 Fondation CAB residency Brussels, Belgium
2016-2017 Syllabus residency Wysing Art Centre, UK in association with Studio Voltaire, Spike Island Bristol, New Contemporaries, S1 Space, Eastside Projects
2017 Fibra Residency Colombia (forthcoming)
2016 Awarded Nova Art Commission London, UK
2015 Stiftelsen 3,14 Residency, Bergen, Norway
2013 Sculpture Shock Award & Residency, London
2013 Villa Lena Art Foundation Residency, Italy
2012 Royal British Society of Sculptors Bursary Award, London
2011 Awarded Olga Roubinskaya Foundation Award
2011 The Land Securities Prize Award, London
2011 The Saatchi Gallery and Channel 4 New Sensations First Prize, London
2010 Kenneth Armitage Foundation, The Fifth Annual Young Sculptors Prize
2010 Residency at the Kurt Schwitters Merzbarn, Littoral Arts Trust, UK
Collections
DRAF David Roberts Art Foundation Collection, London
Saatchi Gallery Collection, London
Museum Biedermann Collection, Germany
PERMM Museum of Modern Art Collection, Russia
Beckers Collection, Sweden
Beth De Woody Collection, New York
Jason Martin Collection, Portugal
Levett Collection, London
Land Securities Commission, London
Quasimi Homme Collection, Paris
Ian Rosenfeld Collection
Private Collections UK, Germany, France, Russia, The Netherlands
Publications
2018 She sees the shadows, Mostyn gallery and DRAF
2018 An artwork for the end of the world by Chelsea Pettitt, Sculptor Vox
2017 Art Monthly Review of Seventeen Centrala Birmingham review
2017 this is tomorrow review ‘Seventeen’ Centrala Birmingham review
2017 Art Research Map, review of Independent Brussels 2017
2017 White Hot Magazine, review of Independent Brussels 2017
2017 AroundArt.org review of Blue Seventeen by Y. Ginsbourg
2017 Scandale Project magazine and publication Art is.
2016 Sailing on Solaris, by Nick Hackworth
2016 Sculpture Shock Publication, RBS London
2016 Review and Interview, FMS magazine London
2015 Art and Religion in the 21st Century, by Aaron Rosen, Thames&Hudson publishing
2015 The Presence of Absence, Paul Carey-Kent, London
2014 100 London Artists, by Edward Lucie-Smith
2014 Highlike Book, Electronic Language International Festival and SESI publishing
2014 The Language of Sculpture, Crowood Press
2014 Aesthetica Catalogue, Artists Reviews
2014 Lichtspiele, Museum Biedermann
2013 Gaiety is the most outstanding feature of the Soviet Union, Saatchi Gallery Catalogue
2013 PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art Exhibition Catalogue
2013 Nika Neelova Short Feature Film, Crane TV
2013 Russian Art is Hot says the Saatchi, Huffington Post
2013 Interview Feature, Near East Magazine
2013 Interview and exhibition review, Formidable Magazine
2012 ‘Salvaged Memories’ Interview, Phaidon
2012 1883 Magazine Interview and exhibition review
2012 Royal British Society of Sculptors Bursary Award
2012 Christie’s Auction Catalogue The Crisis Commission
2012 The Crisis Commission Catalogue
2011 The Catlin Guide, Selected Artists
2011 ‘The moment before collapse’, K Magazine
2011 Nika Neelova: Memories of Now by Paul Carey-Kent
2011 ‘Monuments’ New Style Magazine
2010 ‘Future art stars cause a New Sensation’, Exhibition review, Evening Standard
2010 Short feature film, Channel 4 & Saatchi New Sensations
Press
2013 Nika Neelova Short Feature Film, Crane TV
2013 Russian Art is Hot says the Saatchi, Huffington Post
2013 Interview Art and Surrender, Near East Magazine
2013 Interview and exhibition review, Formidable Magazine
2012 Nika Neelova Feature Film | Crane TV
2012 Russian Art is Hot says the Saatchi| Huffington Post
2012 Phaidon Interview ‘Salvaged Memories’| www.phaidon,com
2012 1883 Magazine, Interview | www.1883magazine.com
2012 RIA Novosti| en.rian.ru
2012 The Voice of Russia, Radio Interview | english.ruvr.ru
2011 ‘The moment before I collapse’ Interview K Magazine, KABK, The Hague
2011 Nika Neelova: Memories of Now by Paul Carey-Kent| SaatchiOnline.com
2011 'Monuments' New Style Magazine| Nika Neelova
2010 Evening Standard| ‘Future art stars cause a New Sensation’
2010 3 minute feature film, Channel 4 & Saatchi New Sensations
2010 A-N Magazine| News
2010 Financial Times| Dusty, rubble-strewn and quietly radiant
2009 Kerk in Den Haag| Licht krakende schommels
2008 Den Haag Central “Jong talent groeit in Den Haag”