Artist Statement

As an immigrant, I am perpetually searching for a place that feels like home, and my creative expression stems from this longing. Although my work is not a direct commentary on my experiences as a refugee, it serves as a metaphor for emotions that crystallize within when we search for our place in the world. The ethereal, poetically layered landscapes and bird photographs I create symbolize the complexities that shape and color our perception of reality, as we all perceive the world through a unique and individual lens.

Through my work I explore themes of memory, perception, belonging, and nostalgia, gently unraveling the trauma of displacement. Layer by layer, I seek to rebuild the fragmented soul by filling in the gaps left by upheaval and disruption, restoring a sense of wholeness and continuity aligned with the natural world. I attempt to ignite a dialogue between internal and external landscapes, transcending the boundaries of reality and imagination. My work is a meditation on the poignant duality of beauty intertwined with a sense of nostalgia, which the dislocated, like myself, are destined to inhabit.

My practice is often informed by site-specific work. The preparation for a new project often involves immersing myself in a landscape, spending many hours listening, contemplating, and investigating. To capture the dreamlike landscapes, I employ a range of techniques, including tilt-shift lenses, makeshift filters, and in-camera multi-exposures. The intuitive nature of my creative process is a means of transcendence, healing, and revelation of the extraordinary.

Elena Lyakir, b. 1975, Ukraine

Elena Lyakir's creative journey began amidst the stark realities of Soviet Ukraine, the environment in which she spent her formative years. Despite the constraints imposed by the regime on artistic expression, the mystical elements woven into her culture's rich literary tapestry, often shrouded in symbolism and metaphor, sparked a creative flame that would come to define the sentiment and aesthetic of her work.

Lyakir immigrated to the U.S. with her family in 1990. Leaving her homeland and the challenges of adapting to a new culture had a profound impact on her. The emotional ramifications of exile, a sense of longing, and the ongoing search for belonging have become the themes threaded into the very fabric of her art practice, infusing her work with emotional resonance.

Arriving in New York City alone at barely 18, she initially worked as a model and photographer's assistant. By the mid-90s, she was immersed in the Lower East Side's avant-garde scene and dedicated herself to making art. She experimented with large-format film cameras, printing processes, collage, painting, and performance. Ultimately, her unorthodox approach motivated her to pursue her art through independent studies and collaborations.

Lyakir has been exhibited in galleries globally, including in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Berlin, Paris, Avignon, Sydney, Istanbul, East Hampton, and Sag Harbor. Additionally, her work was featured in a solo museum exhibition at la Maison de la Photographie in Lille, France. Lyakir’s work is held in private and corporate collections, including Coca-Cola, HBC Financial, and Dartmouth Hitchcock, and can be found in public spaces including Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s ABC Kitchen and the Omni and Hilton resorts. Her image, The Final Unknown, is included in the renowned Your Daily Photograph collection of fine art photography. Lyakir’s work has had numerous mentions in publications, including ELLE Décor, Architectural Digest, Objekt, InStyle, Art Daily, Artsy, Art Fuse, and Photographie au Feminin.

Elena divides her time between the urban environment of Brooklyn and the tranquil natural surroundings of southern Vermont. This balance allows her to draw from both the energy of the city and the serenity of the countryside, resulting in a dynamic body of work.