SONJA
YAKOVLEVA
artworks
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
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
2023 IMAGINE — 10 Unrealized Projects, Robert Grunenberg, (DE)
2022 Dévoyé, Match Art Project, Istanbul, (TR)
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
press
- 2022 Wir wollten festhalten, was wir langweilig und scheiße fanden, Schirn Mag
- 2022 Darum wirft eine russische Künstlerin ihren Pass ins Klo, hessenschau
- 2021 Pop-folklore tricksters smashing stereotypes, Arterritory
- 2021 Wie im Zierfischbecken, Der Tagesspiegel
- 2021 Nägel mit Köpfchen: Wenn Fingernägel zur Ausstellungsfläche werden, Gallerytalk
- 2020 It’s a Molotov Cocktail Revolution Baby, International FRÄULEIN issue 01/2020
- 2020 Wider den Heiligen Ernst des Kunstbetriebs, FAZ
- 2020 Making van Gogh, Kuba Paris
- 2020 Insta-Watchlist: Sonja Yakovleva, Monopol Magazin für Kunst und Leben
- 2019 Wir wollen stören, Monopol Magazin für Kunst und Leben
- 2018 Fabulieren mit den Römischen Votzen, Monopol Magazin für Kunst und Leben
- 2018 Rerscherschiere un Aufarbeide, Das Wetter # 16 – Magazin für Text und Musik
- 2017 Wir sind männer- und frauenfeindlich, Monopol Magazin für Kunst und Leben
- 2017 Anstatt zu fotografieren, Schirn Mag