About
1988: Born and raised in the countryside of Moscow, Russia
Currently lives and works between Moscow and Barcelona
Education
2018 - 2019: MA Creative and Collaborative Enterprise, University College London
2005 - 2010: BA Sociology, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Short courses
2023: Long pose drawing, Barcelona Academy of Art
2019: Foundation course, London Fine Arts Studios
Selected exhibitions
Tales of Xenophobia. Les Autres..., October 9 - 31, 2024. 31 rue de Turenne, Paris, France.
Summer Exhibition, June 18 - August 18, 2024. Royal Academy of Arts, London
How I spent my summer, August 31 - October 1, 2023. Sample Art x Krivokolenny 9/3, Moscow, Russia
Emergence, June 2023. Visionary Art Collective, NYC, USA
Part of a landscape. February 18 - March 5, 2023. VCA Space, Moscow, Russia
Anna Antonova, La Digue as part of Art-Space-Hopping. July 7 - 31, 2022 Krivokolenny 9/3, Moscow, Russia
Art Fairs and special projects
May 10, 2025 — Works On Paper 7, Blue Shop Galleries, SW9 6BH, London, UK
May 26 - 28, 2023 — Port Art Fair, Sevkabel Port, Kozhevennaya Liniya, 40, St Petersburg, Russia
September 14 - 18, 2022 — Blazar Young Art Fair, 2022, Moscow City Museum, Russia
Residencies
La Botanica, March - June, 2023, Barcelona, Spain
Biography
Anna Antonova, a Moscow-born artist, studied sociology and anthropology in Moscow and London. Prior to embarking on her artistic career in 2018, she worked in cultural management and fundraising, honing her skills in navigating the art world. In 2023 Anna has pursued additional studies at the Barcelona Academy of Art, refining the technique of academic drawing.
Anna's practice centers on figurative painting, specializing in oil and watercolor techniques. Her style is rooted in post-Impressionist studios, echoing the aesthetics of the Nabis group and influenced by both Paul Gauguin and modern Symbolist Peter Doig. Her work blends pop art and Soviet avant-garde influences, featuring vibrant colors reminiscent of David Hockney and cinematic compositions akin to Alexander Deyneka.
Her debut exhibition was featured in Moscow's Art-Space-Hopping festival in July 2022. Anna was selected for the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 2024.
Artist statement
I am a self-taught Russian artist currently based between Moscow and Barcelona. My work draws inspiration from an array of cultures and countries, reflecting my experiences of living in the UK, Russia, Armenia, Turkey, and Spain.
In my artistic practice, I delve into contemporary themes that encompass gender, the objectification of the female body, and the exploration of the shadow archetype as an unconscious facet of one's personality.
Many of my pieces possess a nostalgic quality. Within my paintings, I intricately explore the interplay between fantasy, sensuality, and reality. Through the plasticity of contours, the interplay of colors, the dynamics of lines, the delicate airbrushed strokes, and the blurred outlines, I seek to investigate the intricate relationships that exist between figures and backgrounds, space and atmosphere, the viewer's gaze, and the optics of the image.
My art is firmly rooted in the post-impressionist tradition, embracing the emotional, visual, and symbolic possibilities of painting. Influenced by the Soviet avant-garde, I employ experimental techniques that draw from popular aesthetics, genre scenes, and compositional framing. These elements collectively contribute to what I refer to as "sensory images" - scenes in which the haptic, optical, and emotional experiences entwine and profoundly impact the viewer.
Press
Flower in the brain, Blumenhaus magazine, April 2024
‘How I spent my summer’, Sample, 2023
‘Anna Antonova among participants of Port Art Fair’, Sobaka, 2023
’Part of a landscape’ solo show by Anna Antonova,
The Vanderlust, 2023
Cultobzor, 2023
‘Highlights of Blazar young art fair’, Art Flash Magazine, 2022
‘Blazar contemporary art fair has announced the list of participants’
The Blueprint, 2022
Buro, 2022
‘Top 3 artsits at Blazar young art fair’, Tatyana Stolyar, 2022, Antigloss Telegram Channel
‘Top 9 artsits at Blazar young art fair’
Alexander Radaev, 2022, Parnasskiy peresmeshnik Telegram Channel
‘La Digue by Anna Antonova at Krivokolenny 9/3’
Art-Space-Hopping Festival
Portfolio request