Connections Across Borders: The Artistic Journey of Sofiia Holubeva

A conversation with a talented Ukrainian artist about creativity between two countries, family bonds, and art as a means of preserving memory.

In the world of contemporary Ukrainian art, Sofiia Holubeva stands out with particular depth and sincerity. The artist, who now resides between Ukraine and Germany, creates works that resonate with the most delicate aspects of the human soul – memory, separation, family bonds, and the transformations that time and circumstance bring.

Sofiia's artistic journey began at the Odesa Art College, where she initially studied environmental art decoration. However, already in her second year, after meeting talented Odesa artists, she realized her true calling and transferred to painting. "I understood that this is my challenge, I love it, it scares me, it interests me," the artist recalls about that pivotal moment.

Sofiia's educational path continued at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture (NAOMA) and then at the Contemporary Art courses at the Kyiv Academy of Media Arts (KAMA), under the guidance of prominent Ukrainian cultural agents as  Lesya Khomenko, Olga Balashova, Liza German, and Maria Lanko and others . These courses, according to the artist, served as an essential bridge between the academic foundation and contemporary art.

Following Russia's full-scale invasion, Sofiia's life underwent a dramatic change. Moving to Berlin first as a guest student and later enrolling officially at the Berlin University of the Arts for her final year opened new horizons for her creative development.

The experience of studying at a German university proved to be a real revelation for Sofiia.

"The difference is that here there's a big focus on critical thinking, on discussion, on speaking, on debates," she explains.

While the Ukrainian academy provided a solid technical foundation and visual sense, the German system emphasizes an analytical approach and constant dialogue.

Sofiia is particularly captivated by workshop studios where students can master various techniques – from ceramics to lithography, from woodworking to silkscreen printing. "Each theme requires its medium," the artist believes, who is currently enrolled in three different workshops and actively experimenting with new materials.

Despite living in Germany, Ukraine remains the center of Sofiia's creative mind. She consciously returns to her homeland every two months, traveling through Lviv and Kyiv to her native Odesa.

"All the senses and the ground for my artistic practice are rooted in Ukraine," the artist honestly admits.

This position is not a manifestation of isolation or neglect of new experiences. Instead, Sofiia sees herself as a "bridge" between two cultures, allowing her to translate Ukrainian themes and experiences into a European context. She notes the active interest in Ukrainian art in Germany, especially in Berlin, where people are raised in traditions of attentiveness and consciousness.

One of Sofiia's most significant creative achievements was the "Connection" exhibition, which she co-created with her twin sister, Kseniia, a professional musician. This project comprises two interconnected series, each revealing distinct aspects of family relationships.

The first part of the exhibition is dedicated to Sofiia's younger sister, Alina, who is now thirteen years old. The idea was born from a simple but profound phrase from the child: "You can stop and just look at me." This became a reminder for the artist about the importance of pausing amid the daily hustle and bustle.

Sofiia captured the moment when her sister was doing a somersault in the water near an Odesa beach. She transformed it into four painted positions that create a sense of infinite circulation. Water has special meaning for Sofiia as an Odesa native – it's an image that simultaneously supports and can take life, symbolizing the cyclical nature of existence.

The second hall of the exhibition reveals the unique experiences of twins. The artist created a visual part complemented by Ksenia‘s musical composition.

“When the full-scale war began, I started to reflect on what truly matters — like family. That’s when I felt a need to deepen my understanding of the nature of my relationship with my twin sister,” added Sofia.

 A special part of the installation was the projection of words and phrases that were compared to those from childhood, such as "You have a bigger nose, and you have a smaller one," "You're nicer, you're more beautiful, you're more cheerful."

"It was very, very unpleasant, to be honest," Sofiia admits.

People made these comparisons not to offend but to distinguish the sisters; however, these comparisons left a lasting impression on their consciousness.

The central work of the series became an image that the artist describes as an "ultrasound snapshot" – an imagined picture of how she and her sister were in their mother's womb before they were born.

"That we were one egg cell, something unified that split into two parts – I can't even imagine this to this day," Sofiia shares her reflections.

A special moment of the exhibition was the joint musical performance of the sisters. Sofiia, who graduated from music school but hadn't played for ten years, decided to join Ksenia’s's concert. Without rehearsals and relying only on sheet music, they recreated the magic of their joint 2010 performance in Crimea, where they won first place at a jazz competition.

Sofiia's creativity responds acutely to contemporary tragic events. The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023 became not only a nationwide Ukrainian tragedy for her but also a personal experience. The artist documented the dramatic changes to Odesa's Arcadia beach, where fragments of buildings and vast piles of stones washed ashore.

"When this huge pile of stones lies there, it looks like a body, like a huge animal or plant," Sofiia describes her impressions.

She works with this theme in various media – painting and ceramics, striving to "encapsulate" these changes and preserve them in people's memory.

Sofiia's large-scale project, "40×30×20," named after the dimensions of a suitcase, symbolizes the constant movement between countries and the documentation of changes in the Ukrainian landscape through the prism of war. Each year, the artist creates a series of ~nine painted works on special paper (from Kharkiv), documenting the changes that occur on the beach "Arcadia" in her native city.

The works preserve traces of travel – folds from packing in a suitcase, which becomes an integral part of the artistic statement.

"As long as the war continues, I will work on this project," says Sofiia, hoping to complete it with victory someday.

One of Sofiia's key principles is openness to the unpredictable in art. She tells a fascinating story about how a series of small works on the theme of wounded bodies unexpectedly gained new meaning due to the natural curling of canvases into triangular shapes.

"This is just magic; I love art for this," the artist enthuses. "You just need to be attentive sometimes; you need to go and be attentive to what's happening. Art speaks to you by itself sometimes."

Sofiia generously shares her experience with young colleagues, emphasizing the importance of:

"Treat your ideas like little embryos," the artist advises. "It's something small that has just emerged in your head, but you need to go. You need to move, and everything will work out."

The life of a Ukrainian artist abroad is associated with numerous challenges. Sofiia speaks openly about the need to rebuild professional connections from scratch, the high prices for housing and studios, and the difficulty of finding accommodation in Berlin, where one must write dozens of letters and compete with numerous applicants.

At the same time, she emphasizes the importance of integrating into the local artistic community through acquaintance with Ukrainian curators working in Germany, participation in Ukrainian events, and the gradual establishment of contacts with German curators.

Sofiia Holubeva's creativity demonstrates the power of art as a means of communication and memory preservation. Her works serve as a testament to an era, documenting changes in the landscape and human relationships, fostering dialogue between past and present, between Ukraine and the world.

The artist plans to expand the series about her connection with her sister and show it in Lviv, where she often visits during trips to Ukraine. She is also working on a new experimental series, including works that utilize drone camera shots – a new visual language of modernity.

An essential part of Sofiia's activity is social responsibility. As part of the "Connection" exhibition, she organized a fundraising effort for the brigade in which Marharyta Polovinko (an artist and a soldier, who was killed by russians on April 5, 2025) served, demonstrating how art can serve as an instrument of support for those who defend Ukraine.

Sofiia Holubeva embodies a new type of Ukrainian artist – one who maintains a deep connection with the homeland while living in a global world. Her creativity serves as a bridge between cultures, a means of preserving memories, and a way of understanding the difficult times Ukraine is going through. In her works, the personal becomes universal, and the local gains global resonance, creating art that speaks the language of humanity and connection.

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