Alyona Romanova
Russian multidisciplinary artist. Her work encompasses several mediums including painting, graphic, interior and set design, metal and enamel, sculpture and installation. Combining her previous experience as a jeweller, she widely explored the possibilities of metal mesh, metal reliefs and light objects. Romanova compiled and publishedh "Fools Eat Pies", a collection of memoirs about her teacher Mikhail Roginsky, one of the leading figures of Soviet Nonconformist art, and participated in numerous group shows and projects in Russia and abroad. Her works are in the collections of the All-Russian Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts, the Serpukhov Museum of History and Art, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, as well as in Russian and foreign private collections.
Biography:
Works by Alena Romanova are in the collections of:
- 1949 — Born in Moscow.
- 1974 — Graduated from the Moscow State University of Printing Arts (MGUP) with a degree in Graphics. Her diploma project was “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll (layout, illustrations, book).
- 1972-1974 — Worked as an illustrator for the magazine "Chemistry and Life."
- 1970-1975 — Studied painting under Mikhail Roginsky.
- 1975-1986 — Member of the Youth Association of the Union of Artists.
- 1987 — Became a member of the Union of Artists.
Works by Alena Romanova are in the collections of:
- The All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Art, Moscow.
- Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Moscow.
- Serpukhov History and Art Museum, Serpukhov.
- I. Goff, Moscow.
- A. Sarabyanov, Moscow.
- M. Prokhorov, Moscow.
- D. Borisov, Moscow.
- S. Rozelman, New York, USA.
- Private collections in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
- 1990 — “Object Art,” Art Salon of the Moscow Cultural Foundation, Moscow.
- 1994 — “Villa Dei Misteri. Image and Likeness,” Knowledge is Power magazine, Moscow.
- 1996 — “Studies,” Russian Research Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage, Moscow.
- 1997 — “The Central Zone” (painting, installation), Rzhev Exhibition Hall, Rzhev.
- 1997 — “Lexicon,” exhibition dedicated to “The Dictionary of the Khazars” by Milorad Pavić, Ad Marginem (installation, metal, metal mesh).
- 1998 — “Temporary Decorations” (painting, objects), Manezh Gallery, Moscow.
- 1998 — “Resurrection,” Velta Gallery (sculpture, installation), Moscow.
- 1998 — “Masterpieces — A Fresh Look,” Painting, O.G.I. Project.
- 1999 — “Cardboard,” Manezh Gallery (painting-sculpture).
- 2001 — “Dance” (sculpture, installation, as part of the 1st Festival of Russian Dance Theaters “Ceh”), Theatre of Nations, Moscow.
- 2005 — “Boxes” (painting, objects), James Gallery (ARTStrelka Cultural Center), Moscow.
- 2011 — “Body, Shadow, Form,” Mart Café, Moscow.
- 2024 — “The Observers,” Totibadze Gallery, Moscow.
Group Exhibitions:
- 1978-1980 — Annual Youth Exhibitions of Moscow Artists.
- 1983 — “Costume and Jewelry,” House of Artists on Kuznetsky Most, Moscow.
- 1984 — Youth Exhibition.
- 1985 — “1st Moscow Jewelry Exhibition,” All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Art, Moscow.
- 1986 — “8th International Limoges Biennale,” Limoges, France.
- 1987 — “Soviet Artistic Enamel,” Zagorsk; “Enamel Seminar,” Palanga, Riga, Vilnius, Leningrad, Moscow.
- 1988 — “9th International Limoges Biennale,” Limoges, France; “2nd Moscow Jewelry Exhibition,” All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Art, Moscow.
- 1989 — All-Union Enamel Exhibition, All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Art, Moscow; “Contemporary Jewelry Art,” International Exhibition, All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Art, Moscow.
- 1990-1991 — “The Pyramid Show,” Association “Moscow Palette,” Sydney, Adelaide, Australia.
- 1993 — “Shop” (group exhibition, curator and participant, objects), Konstantin Shop, Olympic Complex, Moscow.
- 1995 — “Russian Women in Art” (objects, Russian Art Festival, participant), Conway Hall, London; “Artistic Enamel and Easel Art,” International Exhibition, All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Art, Moscow.
- 1996 — “Contemporary Jewelry Art,” International Exhibition, All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Art, Moscow; “Anthropology Studies” (sculpture, installation), Moscow.
- 1996 — “Labor Lessons” (group exhibition, curator and participant, objects), Moscow.
- 1997 — “Reverse Perspective — Russian Minimalism,” as part of the Days of New Art in Rzhev (participant and curator).
- 1998 — “Taking Shape” (sculpture, installation), Moscow.
- 1998 — “Reflections of Female Vision.” Painting, graphics, applied arts. Kyrgyz State Museum of Fine Arts, Bishkek.
- 1999 — “Total Recall,” installation “Cocoon” (metal mesh), TV Gallery, Moscow.
- 1999 — Art Manege’99, Eurasian Zone, installation “Hole and Scheme” (metal, metal mesh, other materials).
- 2001 — “Art in Relevant Contexts,” performance “Defile in the Wardrobe” (metal mesh), L-Gallery, Moscow.
- 2002 — “Art in the Urban Environment,” Nizhnekamsk Festival. Installation “Inhabiting Space” (reliefs made of metal mesh), Nizhnekamsk.
- 2003 — Installation “Gentlemen” (park sculpture made of metal mesh), ARTKlyazma, Klyazma Reservoir Resort.
- 2003 — “Venus Sapiens” (group exhibition, objects), London.
- 2003 — “Objects and Things,” “X-ray” (installations made of metal mesh), lamps-stools. All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied, and Folk Art.
- 2004 — “Return, Second Term” (installation, group exhibition), ARTKlyazma, Klyazma Reservoir Resort.
- 2013 — “Snow Woman” (light object at Solyanka Gallery), Moscow.
- 2016 — “Not a Toy” (object), Solyanka Gallery, Moscow.
- 2018 — “Petrushestviye” (painting), MMOMA on Gogolevsky.
Book Illustration:
1992 — Lewis C. S. The Chronicles of Narnia. Part II. Moscow: Gandalf-Met, 1992. Illustrations.
Performances:
- 1995 — “Magic Session,” All-Russian Film Festival, Suzdal.
- 2009 — “Dance” (performance, together with the composer Vladimir Martynov), cultural center “Dom,” Moscow.
- 2004 — “Oberiu” (scenography, reliefs), play by Yuri Lyubimov, Taganka Theatre, Moscow.
- 2006 — “Antigone” (scenography, reliefs), play by Oleg Kudryashov at Elena Kamburova’s theatre, Moscow.
Literary Activities:
- 2009 — Compiled the book about Mikhail Roginsky “Fools Eat Pies” (Moscow: New Literary Review, 2009) and wrote memoirs about him. The book was nominated for the State Prize in the field of contemporary art, "Innovation" (2009).
- 2024 — The book “The Witness Has Witnesses: A Travelogue” is being prepared for publication (Vilnius, Rewind Press, 2024).
Design:
- 1998 — Designed the club “O.G.I. Project at Patriarch Ponds” (metal mesh, metal structures).
- 2000 — Literary award “Debut” prize, sculpture “Bird.” Metal.
- 2001 — Designed a private house and apartment for the Libin family (furniture items, metal grilles, lamps made of mixed materials).
- 2002 — Designed the stand for the company “Rostelecom” at a commercial exhibition and decorated the “Rostelecom” office (metal mesh, reliefs).
