Nina Savenko, Taras Kobliuk, and Serhii Zakharov Join Ukrainian Fund of Digitized Art

In the recent significant update, the Ukrainian Fund of Digitized Art has expanded its online catalogue to include works by renowned Ukrainian artists Nina Savenko, Taras Kobliuk, and Serhii Zakharov. This addition showcases a diverse range of artistic styles and techniques, reflecting the depth of Ukraine’s contemporary art scene.

Nina Savenko is a well-known Ukrainian graphic artist. She primarily works in lithography and other forms of printmaking, and has recently begun experimenting with painting. 

She was born in 1988 in Kyiv and studied at the Taras Shevchenko State Art School and later at the Institute of Publishing and Printing of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. During her university years, she began working with lithography. 

After graduating, she co-founded "Lithography 30" alongside Taras Kobliuk and Alisa Gots — an open studio for printmaking focused on lithography, etching, and linocut. She is also a co-founder of the annual graphic art auction "The Price of Sorrow".

Nina Savenko's art focuses on exploring emotional interrelations within society and responding to contemporary events through her prints. Her artworks often deal with themes of empathy and emotional resonance. She seeks to keep traditional printmaking alive in the Ukrainian art scene, while also expanding the perception of what hand-crafted graphic art can convey.

Nina Savenko is known for her delicate and emotionally charged lithographs, often exploring themes of empathy and human connection. Her work is marked by a deep sensitivity to the emotional impact of color and form.

Born in 1988 in Mlyniv, Rivne region, Taras Kobliuk studied at the Taras Shevchenko State Art School and the Institute of Publishing and Printing of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Early in his career, he studied etching techniques in the lithography workshop of the Ukrainian graphic artist Volodymyr Ivanov-Akhmetov, where he also worked as a lab assistant.

After graduation, Kobliuk initiated the opening of the first free-access lithography studio in Ukraine, helping make printmaking more accessible to artists and the public. As a central member of the "Lithography 30" collective, he has participated in many festivals dedicated to manual printing and has helped establish a printmaking studio at IZON in Kyiv.

Kobliuk's works advance lithographic techniques by blending traditional and experimental approaches. They feature layered textures, gestural marks, and subtle visual narratives. His prints often explore themes of presence and absence, physicality and memory, as well as the emotional dynamics of human relationships and daily life. 

Color is central in Taras Kobliuk's art style. He considers a work incomplete without color, and he integrates vibrant tones into every piece. He typically uses two or three contrasting shades to create bold, eye-catching contrasts that invite deeper exploration. 

Serhii Zakharov is a Ukrainian artist known for his work in painting, graphics, and street art. Due to his artistic contributions, he has earned the nickname 'the Donetsk Banksy.’

He was born in 1967 in Donetsk and spent his entire life living and working in his hometown. Drawing and painting had been his passion since childhood, but as he couldn’t make a living from art, he pursued a career in interior design and furniture.

In 2014, in Donetsk, Zakharov founded the “Murzilka Art Group.” There, he resisted the occupiers in his own way – he placed political cartoons on the streets of the city and publicly showcased these actions. This drew "attention" to Serhii, and soon he was captured, spending a month and a half in captivity. There, he endured numerous tortures, beatings, and mock executions. The events and experiences of those days were poured into a graphic novel titled "Hole".

After his release, Serhii decided to leave the occupied territories. The artist went to Kyiv, where he cooperated with the international charitable foundation IZOLYATSIA, creating the “House of Cards” project to convey the instability of the occupying regime in Donbas and its reliance on the support of Russian authorities.

In 2016, he became a co-founder of the art group "UKRMAKROVSESVIT." He is also the consul (in exile) of the art republic "Užupis" (Lithuania). 

Several of Zakharov’s projects focus on debunking myths about Donbas and highlighting Russia's role, as well as the involvement of Russians in the occupation of Ukrainian territories. His work serves as both a critique and a narrative tool, shedding light on the truths obscured by propaganda.

Currently, Zakharov continues to create artworks that depict the realities of life in Ukraine. One standout piece, part of the Ukrainian Calendar of Venus of War project, features a woman who lost her limbs in the war. Drawing inspiration from the iconic Venus de Milo, Zakharov reimagines the ancient symbol of beauty as a testament to resilience.