Iryna Ilinska

"For me, art now is a way to forge the iron of war into the song of a nightingale. Every shell casing must fall silent as a weapon and start speaking as a living memory of those fighting for our tomorrow. We don't just paint metal — we restore its soul, infusing it with a light that is stronger than any destruction."

Iryna Ilinska is a Kharkiv-based artist and graphic designer, founder of the "Tioh-Tioh" workshop. She gained recognition for transforming military artifacts—shells, helmets, and ammunition crates—into symbolic art objects. Her work merges classical skill with volunteer efforts, creating new meanings of memory and national resistance through protective imagery and portraits of prominent figures.

Iryna Ilinska is a pivotal figure in contemporary Ukrainian art, whose career path lies at the intersection of high aesthetics and poignant social activism. A professional graphic designer from Kharkiv, she has successfully transformed her artistic practice into a powerful instrument of national resistance. Since 2014, Iryna has been actively responding to the country's turbulent events, but her true breakthrough came in 2018 with the founding of the "Tioh-Tioh" art workshop. The uniqueness of her method lies in a remarkable metamorphosis: spent shells, battered helmets, and ammunition crates are transformed under her brush into "talisman objects". Her work from 2022–2024 has become a true manifesto of vitality amidst destruction. The inclusion of her works in museum collections, such as the H. Skovoroda Museum, confirms that she is crafting the modern history of Ukrainian memory, turning "war debris" into eternal art that heals and unites society.

Represented by

Mironova Gallery

Credentials

Awards

2024 Commendation from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for active volunteer work and support of the AFU.
2023 Special Recognition from the Command of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade.
2022 Medal "For Devotion to Art and the People" (civil award for military-themed art projects).
2021 Certificate of Honor from the Kharkiv Regional State Administration for cultural contribution.
2015 Diploma of the "Line of Mercy" (Liniya Myloserdia) Charitable Art Project, Kharkiv.

Solo exhibitions

2024 "Light of Resistance," solo exhibition of military art objects, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2023 "Steppe Nightingales," exhibition of painted military artifacts, Kyiv / Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2022 "Spirit of Freedom," presentation of the author's series of protective art objects and painted helmets, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2021 "City Graphics," exhibition of author's poster and graphic design, gallery space, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2018 "Tioh-Tioh: The Beginning," the first major presentation of the military metal transformation project, Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Group exhibitions

2024 "Power of Resilience," a charitable art auction supporting volunteer initiatives, Kharkiv / Kyiv, Ukraine.
2023 "Victory is Near," an interregional exhibition of contemporary art dedicated to resistance, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2022 "Artists and Volunteers," a joint project of volunteer hubs and artists, Ternopil / Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2022 "Art of the Frontline," an exhibition of military artifacts and conceptual art objects, Kyiv, Ukraine.
2015 "Line of Mercy" (Liniya Myloserdia), charitable pre-auction exhibition, Kharkiv Art Museum, Kharkiv, Ukraine.
2014 "Art of the Revolution," a series of street expositions and art actions at Freedom Square, Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Media coverage

International fairs

2024 "Unbreakable Ukraine," international charity exhibition and auction, Warsaw, Poland.
2023 "Art Against War," exhibition of Ukrainian artists and volunteers, Berlin, Germany.
2023 International Charity Auction of Contemporary Ukrainian Art, Chicago, USA.
2022 "The Colors of Freedom," international traveling project (exhibitions in EU countries and the USA).
2017 "The 4th Block" International Eco-Poster Triennial, Kharkiv, Ukraine (international status).

Personal

2023 Museification of Resistance: Successful integration of modern military artifacts into museum collections (e.g., donating key works to the H. Skovoroda Museum).
2022 Impact on Visual Culture: Shaping a recognizable graphic style for the modern Ukrainian volunteer movement by designing identity and symbolism for major NGOs.
2022 2024 | Large-scale Fundraising: Using signature art as a fundraising tool, attracting significant resources for the rehabilitation of soldiers and AFU needs.
2018 Artistic Innovation: Development and implementation of a unique method for transforming war artifacts (shells, helmets) into conceptual "talisman objects."
2018 Institutional Creation: Founding of the "Tioh-Tioh" art workshop, which became a platform uniting artists and volunteers around cultural projects.
2018 2024 | Professional Transformation: Successful transition from classical graphic design to creating multidisciplinary art objects with high social impact.