Biography
Alena Olasyuk (b. 1988) is a Ukrainian artist based in Paris.
She studied Art and Journalism at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology and spent twelve years living and working in Beijing, where she developed her practice and built an extensive exhibition record across China, Taiwan, and internationally. Following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, she relocated to Europe, living in Vienna before settling in Paris.
Her work centers on the exploration of the space in between — the threshold states of existence where change, tension, and transformation occur. Working primarily with Chinese ink and a nib pen on paper, she draws lines daily, accumulating subtle variations over time. Through this persistent, process-driven practice, the line becomes an instrument for observing what is barely visible: the movement between states, the texture of change, the double nature of things.
This investigation extends into sound recordings, written texts, and a series of limited-edition Little Books — artist publications combining drawings, texts, and guided meditations that invite the reader into the same space the work inhabits.
Olasyuk has exhibited internationally in China, Taiwan, Ukraine, France, Italy, Denmark, Brazil, and Germany. Recent exhibitions include a solo show in Milan (2026), Paris (2025), and a residency at Saline Royale, Arc-et-Senans (2025). Her work is held in institutional and private collections across China, Taiwan, France, the UK, the USA, and Ukraine.
Statemnet
My practice is rooted in a single gesture — drawing lines, daily, with Chinese ink and a nib pen on paper. Through repetition, layering, and time, this simple act becomes an instrument for exploring what I am most drawn to: the space in between.
The between is where I work. The threshold between control and accident, structure and abstraction, stillness and change. A space filled with tension, process, and the movement from one state to another — requiring quietness of mind to feel and to see.
I am fascinated by how contrast exists within this space. How new things appear. How the unexpected unveils itself. How one thing can evolve and move from one state to another without actually changing itself. The double state that is always present.
To feel this space fully, you need slowness. Boredom, even. A willingness to stay with repetition long enough to recognize the barely visible shifts — in a line, in a day, in a life.
This investigation extends beyond drawing into sound, text, and artist books — each a different way of entering the same space. Inspired by life, particularly my own as the closest example I have: its patterns, its nuances, its chaos and stability coexisting.
Time passes even when things appear static. The line records what nothing else would notice.
Solo exhibitions:
2026: “Lines of Meditation” b.box, Milan, Italy
2025: “The Breath” Zeto art gallery, Paris, France
2024: “Ode to Lines” HD galerie. Paris, France
2024: “Confluence” MSPACE. Paris, France
2021: “Chiseling the Light with Ink” Taipei, Taiwan
2020: “In Between” Galerie Grand Siecle, Taipei, Taiwan
2016: " Межа/грань/border" Khmelnitsky Region Art Museum. Khmelnitsky, Ukraine
2016: «Ink Mark» JuEr space. Beijing, China
2015: "Complex Simplicity" auto studio. Beijing, China
2015: “The Calling” at DARA gallery. Beijing, China
2014: "Monochrome World" Kogo art gallery, Hangzhou, China
2014: "Three Steps" BIFT park, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. Beijing, China
Two/Three-Person Exhibition:
2018: “Inversion” Clerkenwell Space, Beijing, China
2018: “Ritual” Sky Moca Gallery. Beijing, China
2016: "Sinergia" Sky Art Foundation, Kyiv, Ukraine
Selected group exhibitions:
2026: “Feel The Void” Upsilon Gallery, Milan, Italy
2025: “Shelter” Galleri Christoffer Egelund,. Copenhagen, Denmark
2025: “weiblich / ukrainisch / emigriert”, Atelier-Salon, Landau, Germany
2021: “Linear” JH Gallery. Shanghai, China
2021: “Unknown Reality” Baolong Art Center, organized by Shanghai Jiaotong University and ICCI Art Valley, Shanghai, China
2021: “Linear” Longkong Art Museum. Beijing, China
2020: “Return to the forest” Dongyan Mountain Forest Recreational Area. Taoyuan City, Taiwan
2019: “Without Ink” Art Tianjin Contemporary Ink Exhibition, Tianjin, China
2019: “A Piece of cotton paper” JiuCeng Art Museum, Beijing, China
2019: “Reconstruction” Aotu space, Beijing, China
2019: “Grey silence” Tong Gallery, Beijing, China
2018: “Investigation” Klerkenwell Space, Beijing, China
2018: “Ritual” Skymoka Gallery, Beijing, China
2018: “Spring Luster” Skymoka Gallery, Beijing, China
2017: Curitiba Biennale ’17 «Vibration» Chinese contemporary art exhibition. Curitiba, Brazil
2017: "Non-objective image" OCT space of Manufacturing Cultural. Shenzhen, China
2017: "Investigation" Cheng Gallery. Beijing, China
2016: "Art Actually" 11Gallery. Beijing, China
2016: “The Six Jinan International Photography Exhibition” Jinan, China
2016: Group exhibition «Fire Wall» No Gate Gallery. Beijing, China
2016: «A Great Event is in the Making. But No One Has Noticed» at Intelligentsia gallery. Beijing. China
2015: Group exhibition of Ukrainian and Kyrgyzstan artists, at Sharpen Studio. Beijing, China
2015: «The Collisions inside the Secret Garden at the Museum of Innocence» Workjam coworking space. Beijing, China
2014: "Semiotic preoccupations: objects, signs and symbols" Intelligentsia gallery. Beijing, China
In collection:
Shanghai Jiaotong University
Sky Art Foundation (Kyiv, Ukraine)
11Gallery (Beijing, China)
Cheng Center for Contemporary Art (Beijing, China)
Works held in private collections around China, Taiwan, Ukraine, France, the UK, Italy, the USA, etc.
Art Fairs:
2020: Any Future - Emerging Artists Fair in Taipei. Taiwna
2020: Art Kaoshiung, Taipei. Taiwan
Residency/ Programs:
2026: Centre culturel Les arts de lire – Abbaye médiévale de Lagrasse, France
2025: Residency at Saline Royale at Arc-et-Senans, France
2022: Residency at Planta Alta and CRA Matadero (Madrid) with the support of Artists at Risk and TEJA.
2021: Visiting Artist at ART VALLEY PROGRAM, The USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry(ICCI), ( a joint institute between the University of Southern California (USC) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) )
Contact
email: a.olasyuk@icloud.com
wechat: olasyuk_a