Sergey Melnitchenko

Sub-creator Established Creator UA

Ukrainian photographer (b. 1991), conceptual and documentary photography.

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“Behind the glitter of the stage lies a truth sharper than the spotlight’s glare.”

Born in 1991 in Mykolaiv. Conceptual photographer, founder of the MYPH school and platform, and member of UPHA. Winner of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award Newcomer (2017). His work explores intimacy, body politics, and social metamorphoses through the lens of both documentary and staged photography. Melnychenko’s raw honesty and visual expression have established him as a leading figure in the new wave of Ukrainian photography globally.

Between figurative and documentary: the world of Sergii Melnychenko

Sergey Melnitchenko (b. 1991, Mykolaiv) is a prominent figure in the new wave of Ukrainian photography. His works strike a balance between raw documentary and evocative staging, exploring themes of physicality, war, and social vulnerability. A defining milestone in his career was joining UPHA (Ukrainian Photography Alternative) — an elite collective that serves as a major "social elevator" for independent artists. Melnitchenko gained global acclaim in 2017 as the winner of the prestigious Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award for his "Behind the Scenes" series. Beyond his personal practice, Sergey actively develops MYPH, a platform he founded that has become a powerful educational hub for emerging photographers. Today, his works are held in the collections of leading museums and galleries across Europe and the USA, as he continues to deconstruct everyday reality, transforming it into a manifesto of contemporary identity.

Represented by

Mironova Gallery

Credentials

Awards

2023 Nominated again for Foam Paul Huf Award
2022 Works acquired by Alexander Tutsek‑Stiftung (Munich), nominated to FUTURES Photography Platform
2020 Nominee for Foam Paul Huf Award, Amsterdam
2017 Winner of Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award, Berlin — first Ukrainian
2013 “Photographer of the Year 2012” (Series of the Year), Kyiv
2013 Golden Camera Award (Conceptual Photography), Kyiv

Solo exhibitions

2012 “Nails”, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine 2013 — “Schwarzenegger Is My Idol”, Lviv, Ukraine 2013 — “Schwarzenegger Is My Idol” (Krakow Photomonth), Krakow, Poland 2014 — “Les Amours Imaginaries”, Odesa Museum of Modern Art Arteria / Closer, Kyiv 2014 — “Military Commissariat”, Estudio Ñ, Valdivia, Chile 2014 — “Schwarzenegger Is My Idol”, Fiebre Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2014 — “Schwarzenegger Is My Idol” (Off_Festival Bratislava), Bratislava, Slovakia 2015 — “Les Amours Imaginaries”, Landskrona Foto…

Group exhibitions

2024 "Ukrainian Dream," Space Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
2023 "Identity. Contemporary Ukrainian Photography," Fotografiska, Stockholm, Sweden.
2022 "The Capture," Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow (MOCAK), Poland.
2021 "30 Years of Independence," M17 Contemporary Art Center, Kyiv.
2020 "UPHA Only Youth," Mystetskyi Arsenal, Kyiv.
2019 "Between Fire and Water," Museum of Contemporary Art, Havana, Cuba.
2018 "The Other Side of the Wall," High Noon Gallery, New York, USA.
2017 Leica Oskar Barnack Award Finalists Exhibition, Berlin, Germany.
2017 "New Arrivals," Polka Galerie, Paris, France.
2016 "Ukraine. Existence," UN Headquarters, New York, USA.
2015 "The Wall," Vovatanya Gallery, Kharkiv (with Roman Mykhailov).
2014 "I am a Drop in the Ocean," Künstlerhaus, Vienna, Austria.
2013 III Odessa Biennale of Contemporary Art, Odesa.
2012 "Young Ukrainian Photography," Museum of the Book, Kyiv.

Media coverage

2023 Interview on LOeil de la Photographie “World and Thoughts with Sergey Melnitchenko”
2023 Pop‑up exhibition mention on Anti‑War Coalition (New York)
2023 PHROOM Platform feature about his creative work and photo series
2023 MOTT.pe article about “Secret Life of Underground Clubs in China”
2022 Feature on Futures Photography about his works and inclusion in the platform
2022 Article on Spilne Art about “Young and Free” and “Fundamental Space Explorations…” series
2022 Maison de la Photographie publication “Schwarzenegger is my Idol”
2022 Creative Publishing article “Tattoos of War”
2022 https://birdinflight.com/ https://www.artsy.net/ https://vogue.ua/ https://www.les-nouveaux-riches.com/myph-sergey-melnitchenko/ https://www.futures-photography.com/profile/sergey-melnitchenko https://spilne.art/en/artist/serhii-melnychenko/ https://antiwarcoalition.art/events/78c6e236-e960-4511-86e3-029e971f4658 https://phroomplatform.com/sergey-melnitchenko-3/ https://mott.pe/noticias/la-vida-secreta-de-los-clubes-subterraneos-en-china-fotografia-de-sergey-melnitchenko/ https://maisonphoto.co…
2021 Interview on Les Nouveaux Riches about MYPH platform and contemporary Ukrainian photography
2020 Publication on Vogue UA about the generation of young Ukrainian photographers
2019 Feature on Artsy about the new wave of Ukrainian photography and the MYPH school
2018 Interview for Bird in Flight about “Behind the Scenes” series
2017 Coverage of winning Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award (Berlin)

International fairs

2022 FUTURES Photography Platform, Riga, Latvia — selected for European emerging photographers platform (2022)
2022 VoCA Art Fair, Tokyo, Japan — participation in contemporary art fair (2022)
2022 Alexander Tutsek‑Stiftung Collection, Munich, Germany — works included in international collection (2022–2023)
2021 Unseen Photo Fair, Amsterdam, Netherlands — participation in international photo fair (2021)
2020 Photo L.A., Los Angeles, USA — participation in contemporary photo fair (2020)
2019 Photo Basel, Basel, Switzerland — showcased Ukrainian contemporary photography (2019)
2017 Paris Photo, Paris, France — participation with “Behind the Scenes” series (2017)

Personal

2022 Works included in the Alexander Tutsek‑Stiftung Collection (Munich, 2022)
2018 Founded the MYPH school and art platform (2018) — hub for the new wave of Ukrainian conceptual photography
2017 First Ukrainian photographer to win the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award (2017)
Participated in over 150 solo and group exhibitions across Europe, the USA, and Asia (MOKSOP data)
Recognized as one of the leading Ukrainian photographers of his generation in features by Artsy, Bird in Flight, Vogue UA