Ekaterina Nikidis
Artist, designer, art historian
Born in 1987
Education
— currently — The St. Petersburg Academy of fine arts, art historian (BA)
— 2019 — Art Lyceum named after K. Faberge, jeweller
— 2009 — ITMO University (LIMTU), specialist in computer graphics
Professional Way
Ekaterina started her creative path in 2007 with a private course in academic drawing. She received a degree in computer graphics in 2009, and for 8 years she was involved in graphic design for business — she first worked in the Advertising Department of a trading company, then she was a freelance designer.
But throughout all these years, Ekaterina also drew and painted, improved her skills, and searched for the unique concept and style of her artworks.
2016-2018 years she spent in jewellery, most of all for learning different techniques. She also received a degree in jewellery from the Art Lyceum named after K. Faberge.
So after studying art, design, and history, working with different materials, combining knowledge and techniques from various fields, she finally came to the stage of a stable creating her own concepts and art objects.
Nowadays Ekaterina is a full-time self-employed artist. She creates series of graphics and paintings, jewellery designs, engravings on metal, installations. The main media: acrylic and gilding on different surfaces, watercolours, metals, and gems.
The sources of her inspiration are historical objects and documents, antiquities and their fate, some reflections. Ekaterina talks a lot about the essence of things and events. The fundamental themes of her creativity are philosophical questions of beauty, eternity and moments, the transience of life. The artist pays particular attention to the concept of beauty and its importance for the world.
Ekaterina doesn’t avoid adornment, she emphasises it. With the visual appeal of the artwork, she offers to look at the details more. She offers to immerse yourself in the image and reflect on the story proposed by the author. “See more behind a beautiful cover” is her call.
Exhibitions
2021
— London, The London Art Biennale
— Zurich, ARTBOX.GALLERY, Artbox.Project world 1.0
— Online, the VAA International Spring Exhibition
— Online, The Holy Art Gallery (London), Rebirth (room 2)
— Online, The Artist Lounge (Warwickshire, UK), "In the History" Interactive Exhibition
2020
— Online, Contemporary Art Gallery Online / CAGO (USA), ALL Botanical
— Online, Albe Art Gallery (UAE), Open Minded group exhibition
2019
— Moscow, Russian Art Week, season 2019-autumn
— Saint Petersburg, Great Exhibition Hall of the Union of Artists of Saint Petersburg. Calligraphy: yesterday and today
— Ruse (Bulgaria), Regional Library Lyuben Karavelov. Exhibition of the XV International Ex Libris Competition EX LIBRIS-EX CINEMA
Awards
2021
— 2nd and 3rd place in the Surrealism category of the St. Petersburg Art Week
2020
— the winner of the 7th Annual “ALL Botanical” Online Art Competition. The first place for the picture “Unseen No. 4”. Look at the Competition.
Galleries
Represented by Albe Art Gallery https://www.albeartgallery.com/ (non-exclusive) — since 2020
Memberships
The Visual Artists Association (VAA), UK — since 2020
Alive. Pull through no matter what. Through the thickness of various obstacles, problems, reflections of the inner demons. Breaking through and being covered by that mass again. But still, one can see the brightness of life's colors, feel its endless celebration even being in tears and alone.
This painting was created in an extraordinary period, after more than six months of self-isolation and quarantine. Without any hope for future changes for the better. All that we had to go through is presented here in the form of colourful spheres. They are all made of various materials, and it is not clear what are these substances exactly. Though what can be a ball of fear or financial difficulties or loneliness made of? Most likely everyone will form their own association. The viewer can choose any material.
So, each of these spheres represents something. But why are they so cheerful? This is an offer to consider each of the problems a challenge. To see the light where it seemed to be gone.
This is an image of the triumph of life, hope, and change. A picture of the artist's own experience in transforming the negative and imagining something dark and fearsome as bright and festive.
Acrylic on Lanificio Prato linen canvas.
The borders are gilded with pure 23-carat gold leaf (Noris Blattgold).
70х60 cm. Mounted on the 3.5 cm stretcher frame
Acrylic on linen (Lanificio Prato) canvas
50x80x4 cm
This artwork continues exploring the challenges and problems that we face one-on-one.
The first one. Following the ideal, unattainable, but beautiful. Do you know that natural pearls are almost never perfect? But we find a unique piece and proclaim it the standard. Flaws offend us. We need to remove them. Align it. Smooth. Make it perfect.
2021
Acrylic on linen (Lanificio Prato) canvas
50x80x4 cm
This artwork continues exploring the challenges and problems that we face one-on-one.
2021
Acrylic on linen (Lanificio Prato) canvas
50x80x4 cm
This artwork continues exploring the challenges and problems that we face one-on-one.
“My little red planet. Pure vanity”
Locked together with the things and memories we've collected. There are no more spectators around. And do we need this stuff now, being alone with it? Or was it just a cover to the public? No, this is not a censure — just a suggestion to think about.
I'm happy to say, I like this shine of gems and gold even if I'm the only one who sees it. So I prefer to hold jewels in my hands and look at them, rather than put them on.
Perhaps this is the only action that makes sense now. Endless contemplation of a world shrunk to the size of a single room. Vanity due to the sole possession of beauty, which doesn't need to be protected from anyone... However, you can't show it to anyone either.
Acrylic on the glue gesso primed wooden panel.
The borders are gilded with pure 23-carat gold leaf (Noris Blattgold).
21x28x2.5 cm
“Alive”
“Fight 1. Be perfect”
“Fight 2. Self-criticism”
“Fight 3. Achieve great aims”
