LESIA PCHOLKA


Lesia Pcholka is a visual artist born in Belarus, currently lives and works in Berlin/DE and Bielsk Podlaski/PL

Curator of the VEHA archive platform, which is dedicated to researching and preserving vernacular Belarusian archival photography.

Pcholka’s practice brings together archival methods, collective memoriesy, and historical continuities to show explore how the past shapes contemporary life in Belarus and beyond. Through photography, video, and installation, she explores the tension between official narratives and undocumented histories, focusing on voices often silenced. Her work situates Belarus within a broader comparative frame, tracing parallels with other authoritarian contexts while also probing spaces of resistance. Exile sharpens her attention to displacement, belonging, and fragile memory, while gender perspectives inform her sensitivity to embodied experience and power. By mobilizing community archives and approaches in experimental storytelling, Pcholka creates layered narratives that move between personal and political, private and collective — reimagining how histories can be remembered and resisted.



PČOŁKA / PCHOLKA / PCZOŁKA
les.pcholka@gmail.com 

on view : 

CV


TRY TO READ MY STONES


Try to Read My Stones is dedicated to the historical geography of space in the formation of modern Belarus – a country without mountains or access to the sea, located at the crossroads of cultures and religions.

The installation consists of nine maps of Belarus embedded in old school chairs. Each corresponds to a key historical period of the 20th century (1918, 1918-1919, 1919, 1920-1921, 1922-1924, 1924-1927, 1938-1940, 1941-1945). The shifting borders reflect the violent and dynamic changes that Belarus has experienced because of regime changes, the collapse and emergence of different political systems, wars, and occupations. These events have left a deep imprint on the local culture and collective consciousness. One tangible result is the eclectic nature of Belarusian visual culture, with its tendency to freely combine meanings, references, and cultural codes.


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Lesia Pcholka graduated from Minsk Innovation University (2017) with a degree in Social Psychology from the Faculty of Law and completed several Professional Programs, including Biz4all, TNU Network University, and ODB Brussels (2016–2017); the Global Citizenship Program at the European College of Liberal Arts in Belarus, focused on economics, human rights, and contemporary art (2018); ArtPlatform, European Cultural Foundation (2018–2019); Creative Enterprise, Nesta (2018); Sputnik Photos Mentoring Programme (2020); the East-European School of Political Studies (2020–2021); Family’s Heritage: How to Understand and Preserve It, European Humanities University (2025); and John Smith Trust, Belarus Leaders in Exile (2025).

From 2009 to 2013, Pcholka worked as a photographer and collaborated with independent Belarusian media. From 2018 to 2020, she was a member of the Belarusian Association of Photographers. In 2017, she founded the VEHA Archive. In 2020–2021, she was a Course Instructor for Visual History of Everyday Life, part of the Public History concentration at the European College of Liberal Arts in Belarus. From 2021 to 2024, she served as a mentor in the Social Camp educational project.


Pcholka's works are part of the collections of the IoDeposito Gallery (Italy), Günter Grass Gallery (Poland), Mochnarte Foundation (Poland) and private collections in Belarus and Germany.



RESIDENCES
 
2025  
– Gaude Polonia, Narodowe Centrum Kultury. Host organization Arsenal Gallery / Bialystok, PL  

2024
– Weltoffenes Berlin, Fellowship-Programm. Host organization ZUSA / Berlin, DE

2023
– Memory Work. Bundesstiftung Aufarbeitung. Host organization CISR e. V. / Berlin, DE
– IASPIS. The International Artists Studio Program / Stockholm, SE

2022
– Q21. MuseumsQuartier / Vienna, AT

2021
– ICORN. Host organization Gallery Günter Grass / Gdansk, PL
– Brno AIR. House of Arts / Brno, CZ
– Galeria Arsenal AIR / Bialystok, PL

2019
– SOUND iD project. Ukrainian Cultural Foundation / Slavska, UA
– Gaude Polonia, Narodowe Centrum Kultury. Host Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii / Warsaw, PL 

PUBLICATIONS

2025 – VEHA. Ruins of Belarus (Ruiny Bielarusi).  ISBN 978-83-66262-30-0, ISBN 978-83-972232-6-4

2024 – DESCENT INTO THE MARSH. Belarus and Hong Kong. ISBN 978-3-00-081038-1

2022 – VEHA. People of the Forest (Ludzi Lesu), ISBN 978-83-65133-44-1

2021 – VEHA. Girls’ Night (Dziavočy viečar ), ISBN 987-985-7209-75-0

2021 – VEHA. Last Photo (Apošni fotazdymak), ISBN 987-985-7209-76-7

2018 – VEHA. Best Side (Najlepšy bok), ISBN 978-985-7165-83-4   



Platforms

KALEKTAR. Platform on Belarusian Contemporary Art

PlatformB. Place for artists in exile

ANTIWARCOALITION platform of cultural workers against the war. Participated in the project's exhibitions: SOVEREIGNTY REIMAGINED, Maenad Collective (New York, USA), When Language Is Lost: Possibilities of Art in the Face of War. ZKM / Zentrum für Kunst und Medien (Berlin, DE), Coalition. DOMIE space  (Poznań, PL) and others.


 
Online

— GUP Magazine
— BBC News
— Post MoMA NY
— MagnumFlow (Magnum Photos)
— BLOK Magazine
— RTV Magazine
— The Calvert Journal
— Contemporary Art Library
— SZUM Magazine (review)
— KubaParis
— EASTTOPICS
— NEWEAST (interview)
— URBAN MEMORY SCAPES
— ARTMARGINS (interview)
— Artists at Risk Connection (interview)
— Sekktor.online (interview)
— Variant Magazine


Print

— pARTisanka Magazine #34
Strike Newspaper
— A-P-P #5. Archiwum Protestów Publicznych
— Book No.10 Sputnik Photos
— EIKON Art Magazine
— Hjärnstorm Magazine #156
— FROM THE FOLDINGS #0
— NN6T #164 (interview)
— FAZ. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (interview)
— Antologia ICORN (illustrations)

AWARDS 

2026 – Shortlist, Henri Cartier-Bresson Seld-Published PhotoBook Award. Book Descent into the Marsh

2025
– Longlist, Ales Adamovich Award (PEN Belarus). Book Descent into the Marsh

2024
– 1st Place, Michal Anempadystaw Prize (PEN Belarus). VEHA, Ludzi Lesu

2022
– 1st Place, Biz4all (ODB Brussels & TNU Network University) VEHA Family Book project
– Shortlist, RADA Awards. VEHA project The Best Side, Youth Initiative / Cultural Conservation  

2018
– 3rd Place, Publication of the Year, IMF Award. VEHA The Best Side

2017
– PRAFOTA, ART category. CECH Gallery, Belarus
– 2nd Place, Exhibition / Photo Project of the Year, IMF Award. VEHA The Best Side  


 
SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025 – Heavier than Air. Curated by Zofia nierodzińska / MOS. Miejski Ośrodek Sztuki. Gorzowie Wlkp., PL

2024 – Great Stone. Curated by Ekaterina Shapiro-Obermair and Wolfgang Obermair / Hoast artist-run space. Vienna, AT

2022 – Weakness Street. Curated by Anna Łazar / Günter Grass Gallery.  Gdańsk, PL 


2016 – Visual Diary. National Centre of Contemporary Arts (Minsk, Belarus)  

 
ART FAIRS 
2024 – BAAM#08 / Berlin, DE

2022 – Stockholm Independent Art Fair, KX Space. SE 

2021, 2020 – Fundacja Humanosh. Piękna Gallery / onebid.pl

2020 – VLADEY, online auction   

 
GROUP EXHIBITION

2026

Softshell Archipel. Curated by Hoast artist-run space (Ekaterina Shapiro-Obermair and Wolfgang Obermair) / Gallery 5020. Salzburg, AT

BOLD. The Self-Published Photobook WeekendFondation Henri Cartier-Bresson. Paris, FR

2025

– Head Over Heels. A Beaver Rolled Down a Slope. Curated by Ewa Tatar / Arsenal Gallery. Bialystok, PL

Festiwal SAMASIEJ. I am Pfeilstorch. Curated by Uladzimir Hramovich / Bialystok University of Technology. Bialystok, PL

Un-packing: Memory Gaps. Curated by Olga Mzhelskaya / Teatr Dramatyczny. Warsaw. PL  

IPMA Festival. Curated by Carine Dolek / Kaunas, LT

CANCAN BIENNALE #1. Curated by Aline Montaigne / Espace Saint-Nicolas. Coutances, FR  

Festival Circulation(s). Curated by Collectif Fetartt / CENTQUATRE-PARIS. Paris, FR

– BY LAW. XY 2025 : Berlin in Olomouc. Curated by Radka Částková, Hana Kurková, Anna Sýsová / Basement Studio. Olomouc, CZ

DESCENT INTO THE MARSH / alpha nova & galerie futur. Berlin, DE

2024

Long-distance Relationships. Curated by Zofia nierodzińska and Stephan Koal / Gallery KVOST. Berlin, DE

United Nations. Curated by Joanna Szumacher / Galeria WY. Łódź, PL

Sometimes i hold onto the air. Curated by Katharina von Hagenow, Uladzimir Hramovich and Paulina Olszewska / Galerie im Körnerpark.  Berlin, DE

The OTHER SESSION. During the 60th Venice Biennale. Curated by David Liver and Michael Kaethler / Docks Cantieri Cucchini. Venice, IT

– Copenhagen Photo Festival. We’ll Hold a Wedding on Your Graves. Beyond VEHA Photographic Archive. Curated by Vera Zalutskaya / Pop Up. Copenhagen. DK

– Borders in Zenit. Społem fest. Curated by Katarzyna Rózniak-Szabelska / Club Zenit. Bialystok, PL

FLOW/PRZEPŁYW. Curated by Agnieszka Brzeżańska, Ewa Ciepielewska and Emilia Orzechowska / Centrum Sztuki Galeria EL. Elbląg, PL

2023

On the New. Hoast artist-run space at Belvedere 21. Curated by Ekaterina Shapiro-Obermair and Wolfgang Obermair / Belvedere 21. Museum of Contemporary Art. Vienna, AT

LET IT SHINE. Beyond VEHA Photographic Archive. Curated by Vera Zalutskaya / MOS. Municipal Art Center. Gorzów Wielkopolski, PL

– LIMINARIUM. Performensk at PlatformB. Curated by Anna Bakinovskaia / Theaterhaus. Stuttgart, DE

21. SURVIVAL Art Review ERZAC. Fundacja Art Transparent. Curators Michał Bieniek, Anna Kołodziejczyk, Małgorzata Miśniakiewicz, Ewa Pluta, Daniel Brożek / Wroclaw, PL

2022   

BY LAW. Curated by Maksymilian Bochenek, SUPLEMENT project / Museum of Emigration. Gdynia, PL

VERSSchmuggel Belarus Deutschland. Curated by Louise Walleneit / Galerie intershop. Leipzig, DE  

Belarusian female artists. Dialog between the generations. Curated by Maya Hristova and Jewgeni Roppel / Gallery KVOST. Berlin, DE

Distant Tolerable Murder. Collaboration with artist Valentyna Petrova. Curated by Anna Łazar and Lada Nakonechna / Berlin, DE

The Code of Presence: Belarusian Protest Embroideries and Textile Patterns. Curated by Sasha Razor / University of Michigan Library. Michigan, USA

– Belarus: The Walk to Freedom. Festival Swiatopoglad / Centrum Kultury Dwór Artusa. Toruń, PL

– Echoes. Voices from Belarus III, ECLAT Hybrid Festival. Curated by Christine Fischer / Hospitalhof church. Stuttgart, DE

2021

– OPA #12. Curated by Sylwester Galuschka / Kolonia Artystów. Gdansk, PL

Belarus – Screams of the Silenced / The Grey Space in the Middle. Den Haag, NL

– War, Revolution and Protest in the Female Lens. Curated by Iwona Demko and Renata Kopyto / Dom Norymberski. Krakow, PL

Every Day. Art. Solidarity. Resistance. Curated by Aleksei Borisionok, Andrei Dureika, Marina Naprushkina, Sergey Shabohin, Antonina Stebur and Maxim Tyminko / Gallery Mystetskyi Arsenal. Kyiv, UA

Białoruś: Marsz Wolności. Curated by Joanna Kinowska / Kordegarda Gallery. Warsaw, PL

Practicing Revolution. Curated by Marina Naprushkina, Agnieszka Kilian / Sinema Transtopia. Berlin, DE

– Freedom, Pain and Hope. Curated by Katja Haustein and Franca Wohlt / KLEISTER. Berlin, DE

– Cykl ADAPTACJE. Curated by Marta Gendera, Gustaw Nawrocki and Bartosz Nowak / MOS. Gorzowie Wlkp., PL  

– Echoes. Voices from Belarus. Festival ECLAT / Stuttgart, DE

2020  

– Not/funny pictures. Curated by Lizaveta Michalchuk / KX Space. Brest, BY

– Belarus. Protest. Art. / Gallery 59 Rivoli. Paris, FR

– Belarus: The Square of Change / Perron West. Utrecht, NL

Belarusian Sundays in Red and White / Henry Dunant Museum. Heiden, SE

– Wear Zones. Curated by Lizaveta Michalchuk / KX Space. Brest, BY

– FEMINISM IS / Centre of Gender Culture. Kharkov, UA  

2019

Maiden names. Сurated by Alina Dzeravianka / MOS. Miejski Ośrodek Sztuki. Gorzowie Wlkp., PL

– VEHA : Tam gdzie Teraz. Curated by Waldemar Tatarczuk / Gallery Galeria Labirynt. Lublin, PL

– VEHA : Wieczór panieński [Dziavočy viečar]. Curated by Marta Przybyło / FAF Gallery. Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii. Warsaw, PL

– VEHA : Dziavočy viečar. Curated by Lizaveta Michalchuk / KX Space. Brest, BY

2018

– Mater Materia. Curated by Lizaveta Michalchuk / KX Space. Brest, BY

– Here and Now / SQUAT. Minsk, BY

– VEHA : Dziavočy viečar. Month of Photography in Minsk / The Ў Gallery. Minsk, BY

– Triennial of Photography Hamburg. OSTLOOK. Curated by Jewgeni Roppel / Gallery 21. Hamburg, DE

2017

– Hold on. Let go. Curated by Franca Wohlt / AFF Gallery. Berlin, DE

– Memory Lands. Curated by Chiara Isadora Artico / Museum of the Battle. IoDeposito B#S Gallery. Treviso, IT

– One Can Not Be Too Careful. Curated by Ania PsH, Raddy Junova, Rodina art group / Lock In Gallery. Brighton, UK

– PRAFOTA. Curated by Anna Shpakova / CECH Gallery. Minsk, BY

– VEHA : Najlepšy bok. Month of Photography in Minsk / Gallery Canteen XYZ. Minsk, BY

– Work Hard! Play Hard!Transmission. Palianina-Pcholka / Minsk, BY


2016

– To be like I. Curated by Zhanna Gladko / Gallery of Contemporary art Ў. Minsk, BY  

2013

– Structuring. Curated by Natalia Harachaja / Gallery of Contemporary art Ў. Minsk, BY


– Structuring: fragments. Curated by Natalia Harachaja / Gallery of Contemporary art Ў. Minsk, BY