Elina Kohanaya (Tkachenko)
Was born 1981 in Aleksandria, Ukraine.
Ultracontemporary Artist.
Now resides and works in Istanbul, Turkey.
Education:
2022 Art Therapist, Art Therapy Center, Burganov Academy of Arts
2010 – 2012 Psychologist, Donetsk branch of the Kyiv Institute, postgraduate education
2010 Coach, Training at Mykola Latansky's School of Coaching, Kyiv
1998 – 2003 Medical University of Maxim Gorkii, Donetsk
Personal Exhibitions:
2010 Magical characters of Elina Kohanaya, Circular Kinopanorama as part of the first Moscow International Film Festival for Children and Teenagers KOT, Moscow, Russia
Group Exhibitions:
2026 International Group Exhibition: "Uluslararası Karma Sergi", International Association of Plastic Arts (UPSD) Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
2026 “Unadorned”, Meta-senses gallery, Ukraine online
2025 “Dreams In Pera Palace”, Istanbul, Turkey, Pera Palace,
2025 “Temporarily Here”, Meta-senses gallery, Ukraine online
2024 Vogue seventh edition, Boomer Gallery, London, UK
2022 “Moscow in Flowers”, Museum Sadovoe koltso, Moscow, Russia
2022 “Countryside romance”, Moscow, Russia
2022 “Art - into the home”, Association Exhibition Halls of Moscow, Moscow, Russia
2018 “Portraits of rats”, Collaboration with photographer Olga Smirnova, Loft Project Floors, St. Petersburg, Russia
2016 “Border Spaces”, ART PLAY, Moscow, Russia
2008 “Chin de pilot”, gallery on Kuznetsky Most, Moscow, Russia
Publications:
Art Agent Magazine "In the Studio and in the Open Air" #19’2025
Art Agent Magazine "Techniques and Technologies"
Children's magazine "Enot", 2021
The book "Recipes for Restorative Meals after Childbirth"
for the "Let's Feed Mom" project, 2018
Catalogs:
“Unadorned”– catalog of exhibition, 2026
“Temporarily here” – catalog of exhibition, 2025
Vogue seventh edition – catalog of exhibition, 2024
“Border Spaces” – catalog of exhibition, 2016
Teaching Experience:
2024 – Present: Art instructor and founder of online and offline youth art programs (including "Drawing Without Borders" studio, Istanbul); student works selected for the International Istanbul Children and Youth Art Biennial (Müze Gazhane, Istanbul, Turkey, 2026)
2016 New Year's card making workshop at kindergartens in Moscow
2014 – 2015 Sand painting teacher at the "Scientist Cat" children's center chain, Moscow, Russia
Selected Performance Storytelling
(Author's Tales & Live Music):
2019 — "Fairy Tales Festival", Central Open-Air Stage, Sokolniki Park, Moscow, Russia — Author's storytelling performance "Kitten Named Foxy Learns to Play"
2016 — "Border Spaces", ARTPLAY, Moscow, Russia
2015 — "Kids Time Festival", Krasny Oktyabr, Moscow, Russia — Musical fairy-tale performance "Masha, Vovka and the Snow Cat"
2010 — Performance at the opening of the CAT Festival, First Moscow International Film Festival for Children and Teenagers, "Kinopanorama" Circular Cinema, Moscow, Russia
Courses/Trainings:
2025 – 2026 Career Strategy and Professional Development Program by Delnara El
2024 – 2025 Ivan Grigoriev's online school
2021 Illustrator Ellina Ellis's full course
2021 Maria Kostrina's painting courses at the New Tretyakov Gallery
2021 – 2022 Anna Egida's colored pencil courses
2020 Guptill's "Ink and Pen" course, Olga Rubtsova's school
2019 Maria Buranova's classes at the "Frivolous Drawing" studio
2015 "Book Illustration" course, Olga Rubtsova's school
2014 – 2015 Private lessons in character building with Alexey Rubtsov
2012 Private lessons with Oleg Arnautov
2011 Linocut master class with Maria Kashtanova
2010 – 2011 Courses for applicants to VGIK
2009 – 2010 Studies at Olga Rubtsova's school
2008 Private lessons with Svetlana Zueva