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SONJA
YAKOVLEVA

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About

Sonja Yakovleva was born in Potsdam, (DE), in 1989. She lives and works in Frankfurt am Main, (DE).

Sonja Yakovleva uses porn and online images as models for her paper cuts, some of which are large-scale, in which personal and collective stories of women, power relations, sexuality, and violence are negotiated. They mirror the silhouette-like, folk motifs used to inscribe fairy tales, myths, and ideologies into the collective consciousness from colonial times through modernity and well into the 20th century. Yakovleva’s work is often described in the context of sex-positive feminism. She appropriates, hybridizes, and sexualizes these visual languages. Among other things, she makes fetish lingerie, strap-on dildos, and underwear appear like butterfly and insect specimens, which brings to mind colonial expeditions but also the capitalist compulsion to categorize, evaluate, and market every fetish.

Education

Athens School of Fine Arts, Athens, (GR)
Bachelor of Arts, Hochschule für Gestaltung, Offenbach am Main, (DE)
 

Awards and Residencies
 
2023 Atelierstipendium Instanbul, Hessische Kulturstiftung
2022 Stipendium Künstlerhilfe
2020 Neustart Kultur, Projektstipendium für KVTV Television, Stiftung Kunstfonds
2020 Arbeitsstipendium Stiftung Kunstfonds
Hessen innovativ neu Eröffnen, Hessische Kulturstiftung
2019 MMCA Residency Goyang, Artist in Residence Scholarship in Frankfurt
2015 Graduation Scholarship of the Dr. Marschner Foundation
2014 Price of the FAZit Foundation for graphic and illustration
Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

 2024 Amazing 11 and other Stories, Museum Bensheim (DE)
2023 Pattern Recognition (with Keith Haring), Kunstpalais Erlangen, Erlangen (DE) 
2023 Béstiaire d’Amour, Kunstraum Potsdam, Potsdam, (DE)
2023 Pattern Recognition (with Keith Haring), Kunstpalais Erlangen, Erlangen (DE) 
2022 TANGA TANGA!, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin, (DE)
2021 Good Vibrations, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin, (DE)
2020  Hallöchen, Robert Grunenberg, (DE)
2019  Major Pectoralis, Timber, Seoul, (KR)
2017  3. Stendaler Lichttage, Kreuzgarten Dom, Stendal, (DE)
2017  Red Roses Club (Aggro Fit), Saasfee Pavillon, Frankfurt am Main, (DE)
2016  Nature is always beautiful, Neuer Kunstverein, Giessen, (DE)
2013  Kunst in Kirchen, St. Gallus, Rodgau, (DE)

Public Collections

Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, (DE)

Group Exhibitions

2024 Who has the Power ? Striking Projects, Frankfurter Kunstverein (DE)
2023 IMAGINE — 10 Unrealized Projects, Robert Grunenberg, (DE)
2022 TOUCH ME: Nudes from the Miettinen Collection, Kunstraum Potsdam, Potsdam, (DE)
2022  Dévoyé, Match Art Project, Istanbul, (TR)
2022 Exhausting Beauty, Kuba Paris, Bonn (DE) 
2021  Type/Cast/Thrill., Temnikova & Kasela, Tallinn, (EE)
2020  Farbe Figurativ, Städtische Galerie, Nordhorn, (DE)
2020  Bodylotion, ZELLER VAN ALMSICK, Viena, (AT)
2020  Sincere Intentions, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin, (DE)
2019  Der letzte Strohhalm, Atelier Frankfurt, Frankfurt, (DE)
2019  Facing the Flat World, MMCA Residency, Goyang, (KR)
2019  Die Römischen Votzen & Klitclique, Arge Kultur, Salzburg, (AT)
2018  Wiesbaden Biennale, Die Römischen Votzen Hinterland, Wiesbaden, (DE)
2018  Losing my Virginity, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin, (DE)
2018  DGTL FMNSM, European Centre for the Arts, Hellerau, (GE)
2017  Good mourning / Happy ending, Kressmann-Halle, Offenbach am Main, (DE)
2017  Die Römischen Votzen, Parkhaus WK16, Frankfurt am Main, (DE)
2017  Good to talk, Berghain Kantine, Berlin, (DE)
2016  Chicken blood, Off-Space Korrekt, Frankfurt am Main, (DE)
2015  The land after the rainbow, LOTTE / Kunstverein Stuttgart Saloon Krawall, Kampnagel, Hamburg, (DE)
2014  Glass art club, Elaginpark, St. Petersburg, (RU)
2013  Life fleisch, Preview Art Fair, Berlin, (DE)
2013  Fumetto – Int. Comix-Festival, Luzern, (CH)
2012  Scherben bringen Glück, Kunstverein Familie Montez, Frankfurt am Main, (DE)
2011  New works, Galerie Bestregarts, Frankfurt am Main, (DE)
2009  Liebesschläuche, Festival der jungen Talente, Offenbach am Main, (DE)

PASt EXHIBITIONS
Sonja Yakovleva
Good Vibrations
21 MAY – 31 JULY 2021
HALLÖCHEN
Sonja Yakovleva, Murat Önen
01 FEBRUARY – 14 MARCH 2020
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News
SONJA YAKOVLEVA at Kunstpalais Erlangen
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BOOKLET: SONJA YAKOVLEVA, 2023
€10.00