Sleep or Pretend

Vitalii Kokhan is a contemporary Ukrainian artist, painter, and creator of objects and installations.

Summary of Vitalii Kokhan

The artist was nominated for the PinchukArtCentre Award in 2018. Vitalii Kokhan’s art includes painting, graphics, installations, photography, video, and land art.

Biography of Vitalii Kokhan

He was born in 1987 in Sumy, Ukraine. Graduated from the Sumy Professional College of Arts and Culture of D. Bortnianskiy in 2006 and at the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts in 2012.

He is a permanent participant and curator of the international land-art symposium "Prostyr Pokordonnya". Since 2013 — resident of BIRUCHIY Contemporary Art Project.

The artist participated in the International Biennial of Youth Projects NonStopMedia (2014) and the Festival of Young Ukrainian Artists (2017). Additionally, his works have been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Solo shows include “Forever today” at The Naked Room in Kyiv (2024), “Circa 2020” at The Naked Room in Kyiv (2021), “Girlish” at Stedley Art Foundation in Kyiv (2020), among many others. 

The artist lives and works in Kyiv.

Vitalii Kokhan’s Famous Paintings: A Glimpse into the Artist’s Soul

Among Vitalii Kokhan’s original paintings on the UFDA website are “Indeed in a While” (2013), “The Dot Above I” (2013), “Sleep or Pretend” (2012), “№13 "The Grounding" (2011), “Listening” (2011), “From Nature” (2006), and many more. 

Vitalii Kokhan’s paintings for sale also include “Untitled” (2012), “№1 from the "Really for a While" Series” (2012), “№9 "The Grounding" (2011), “№5” (2011), among others. 

 Additionally, the artist creates graphic works, jewelry, installations, and sculptures. 

Vitalii Kokhan’s Art Style

The artist's technique blends traditional and innovative materials, creating a unique artistic expression. One of the defining characteristics of the artwork of Vitalii Kokhan is his original technique.  In his works, he uses colored ink, bituminous varnish, cardboard, canvas, paper, and other materials.

As mentioned by Elle, the artist has a passion for applied arts and, from time to time, conveys his favorite themes in his works, which symbolically intersect with Ukrainian everyday life. Additionally, he often incorporates carving and other forms of applied art into his works to create installations.