Yurii Solomko
Sub-creator Established Creator UA
Master of cartographic painting, philosopher of geopolitical images.
About
"For me, a map is not just a piece of paper with borders; it is the planet's skin, upon which history leaves new tattoos time and again. My painting is an attempt to read these signs."
Yuriy Solomko is a pivotal figure of the "New Wave," renowned for his conceptual use of geographic maps. By layering painted images onto topographical foundations, he transforms maps into metaphors for history and geopolitics. His work is an intellectual interplay of space and meaning, exhibited in leading global museums and at international biennials.
Yuriy Solomko is one of the most influential figures in contemporary Ukrainian art, a name synonymous with the conceptual fusion of painting and cartography. As a key member of the legendary "Paris Commune" group, he made a genuine intellectual breakthrough by choosing the geographic map as the primary medium for his artistic statements. In his work, the topographical foundation ceases to be a mere document; it transforms into a living, pulsing space where layers of paint deconstruct familiar borders. Solomko masterfully explores the collision of global political ambitions and intimate human life, turning the dry lines of atlases into metaphors for collective memory. His creative method is a constant dialogue with time and history, where each canvas becomes an attempt to redefine the individual's place within geopolitical chaos. Recognized at international auctions like Sotheby's and Phillips, the artist remains a visionary whose "cartographic dramas" are exhibited in the world's finest museums.
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Credentials
Awards
- 2021 Medal "For the Development of Art", National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, Kyiv.
- 2019 Diploma of Honor, International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Paris, France.
- 2010 Nominee for the "Sculpture of the Year" Award (for 3D cartographic objects), Kyiv.
- 2005 "Artist of the Year" Award Winner, International Art Festival, Kyiv.
- 1999 Golden Section, "Artist of the Year" title in the field of painting, International Art Festival, Kyiv.
- 1997 Grand Prix, International Art Festival "Golden Section," Kyiv.
Solo exhibitions
- 2024 2026 | "Cartographic Visions", retrospective exhibition tour, Kyiv — Warsaw — Berlin.
- 2022 "Terra Incognita", Mironova Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2019 "The Borderline", Dukat Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2016 "Scale 1:1", National Art Museum of Ukraine (NAMU), Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2013 "Atlas Mundi", Collection Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2010 "Ukrainian Landscape", Karas Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2008 "New Cartography", Galerie Blue Square, Paris, France.
- 2005 "Topography of Meanings", Center for Contemporary Art at NaUKMA, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2003 "Yuriy Solomko's Maps", L-Art Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2001 "Project 2000", Ra Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 1998 "Heritage", Alipiy Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 1996 "Yuriy Solomko: Painting on Maps", Cultural Center, Athens, Greece.
- 1994 "Geopolitics", Blank Art Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 1992 "Maps", Triptych Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Group exhibitions
- 2024 2026 | "Crossroads", traveling contemporary art exhibition, Vienna — Rome — Paris.
- 2022 "Ukraine: Under Protection", charity project, Warsaw — Berlin.
- 2016 "Recipe for Utopia", Modern Art Research Institute, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2014 "Premonition: Ukrainian Art Now", Saatchi Gallery, London, UK.
- 2012 ARSENALE 2012, 1st Kyiv International Biennial of Contemporary Art, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2011 "Independent", Mystetskyi Arsenal, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2009 "Restart", Marine Art Terminal, Odesa, Ukraine.
- 2003 "Donumenta", Festival of Ukrainian Culture, Regensburg, Germany.
- 2002 "Art of Ukraine", Central House of Artists, Moscow.
- 1999 "Views of Ukraine", Passage de Retz, Paris, France.
- 1997 1st International Biennial of Contemporary Art, Cetinje, Montenegro.
- 1994 "Free Zone", Art Museum, Sevastopol, Ukraine.
- 1991 "Art-Myth-2", Moscow International Art Fair, Moscow.
Media coverage
- Kulturaxe: Yuriy Solomko — Mapping the Soul — an analytical review of the artist's work. The publication explores Solomko's concept of "cartographic painting," where geographic maps serve as a metaphor for political, social, and cultural transformations.
- https://kulturaxe.com/yuri-solomko/
- ArtSvit Gallery: Yuri Solomko Collection — a dedicated profile within the gallery’s collection. It highlights the artist's signature style of deconstructing official cartography and infusing it with new artistic meanings and narratives.
- https://artsvit.dp.ua/collection/solomko-yurj/
- ArtCloud: Contemporary Visions by Yuriy Solomko — a resource showcasing his participation in international biennials and art fairs, emphasizing his unique approach to the intersection of history and visual geography.
- https://artcloud.com/artist/yuriy-solomko
International fairs
- 2024 2026 | "Bastion: Ukrainian Artists on War", Silesian Museum, Katowice, Poland.
- 2022 2023 | "Byzantine Nostalgia", Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, Poland.
- 2015 Art Copenhagen 2015, international art fair, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- 2015 "Just Art", Artvera's Art Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland.
- 2014 "Premonition: Ukrainian Art Now", Saatchi Gallery, London, UK.
- 2008 "Ukrainian Painting", White Box Gallery, New York, USA.
- 2002 Art Moscow, 6th International Art Fair, Moscow.
- 2002 International Flag Festival, Seoul, South Korea.
- 2001 49th Venice Biennale, "The First Ukrainian Project," Venice, Italy.
- 2000 "Intervals", Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter, Oslo, Norway.
- 1999 "Preventive Measures", Passage de Retz, Paris, France.
- 1997 1st International Biennial of Contemporary Art, Cetinje, Montenegro.
- 1996 "Borders", Art Gallery Space LAB (ArtsLink Residence), Cleveland, USA.
- 1993 "Gruppe-90", Palais Palffy, Vienna, Austria.
- 1990 "Three Generations of Ukrainian Art", Municipal Art Gallery, Odense, Denmark.
- 1990 "Exhibition of Ukraine Artists", Center of Culture Marvinholm, Ystad, Sweden.
Personal
- 2001 Cultural Diplomacy: Represented Ukraine at the landmark 49th Venice Biennale (2001), marking the country's first official participation in the world's premier art event.
- Pioneer of the "Cartographic" Method: Solomko was the first Ukrainian artist to transform a geographic map from a technical object into a primary artistic medium, creating a globally recognized visual language.
- Member of the "Paris Commune": A key figure in the most influential art movement of the 1990s, which revolutionized Ukrainian painting and laid the foundation for the contemporary art market.
- Global Auction Success: His works are consistently featured at prestigious auction houses such as Sotheby's, Phillips, and Dorotheum. Notably, "London G8" was successfully sold at Phillips in London.
- Museum Collections: His artworks are part of the permanent collections at the National Art Museum of Ukraine (NAMU), the Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), and the Henie-Onstad Art Center (Oslo, Norway).
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