Biography
Ukrainian-born Architect and Photographer Lena Pogrebnaya, now based in Toronto, seamlessly integrates her architectural expertise with a profound love for photography. Since her introduction to the craft in university, Pogrebnaya has delved into themes of assimilation, youth influence, and the intrinsic connection between nature and architecture.
Artist Statement
As any other contemporary artist statement standards dictate nowadays, I do transform, narrate, transcend, evoke, and interpret, but I have a strong sense that all these terms no longer have a real attachment to the artist. Wrapping one with deep, but nevertheless faceless terms, eventually erases the individual spirit of art.
I feel the need to simplify the statement in order to create a bridge with the audience. The truth is, my most powerful tool to express myself, my feelings, my version of beauty and harmony is visual art; it surpasses any verbal language. The locomotive force of my artistic endeavor is the overwhelming urge to give birth to something holistically 'new' to this world, whether through photography or another passion of mine—architecture. It creates that sense of satisfaction I guess every artist is seeking.
The whole creative process is all about ideas. They randomly appear in my mind, sometimes from personal experiences or various external factors. These ideas evolve into something new and solid, sparking inspiration that compels me to bring them to life through my chosen mediums.
This is why I am deeply attached to film photography. The invisible ideas in my mind merge with the invisible physics of analog photography to create a visible product, a new inhabitant of our world. This creation can trigger new ideas in others or offer viewers a different perspective, broadening their inner horizons. And if my art inspires at least one person, that would be another satisfaction for me.