email :
les.pcholka@gmail.com
BY . LESIA PČOŁKA
EN . LESIA PCHOLKA
PL . LESIA PCZOŁKA
Lesia Pcholka is a visual
artist born in Belarus,
currently lives and works in Berlin/DE and Bielsk Podlaski/PL
Founder and Director of the
VEHA archive
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.
BOOKS
2025 – VEHA archive : 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 archive : People of the Forest (Ludzi Lesu), ISBN 978-83-65133-44-1
2021 – VEHA archive : Girls’ Night and the Last Photo (Dziavočy viečar & Apošni fotazdymak), ISBN 987-985-7209-75-0, ISBN 987-985-7209-76-7
2018 – VEHA archive : Best Side (Najlepšy bok), ISBN 978-985-7165-83-4
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
2021 – OPA #12. Curated by Sylwester Galuschka / Kolonia Artystów. Gdansk, PL
2016 – Visual Diary / National Centre of Contemporary Arts. Minsk, BY
2015 – Seven Dreams L / Pracovna & Laskafe. Prague, CZ
BIO
Lesia Pcholka graduated from Minsk Innovation University (2017) with a degree in Social Psychology from the Faculty of Law, and is an alumna of several international education programmes,
including: Biz4all, TNU Network University and ODB Brussels (2016 - 2017);
European College of Liberal Arts in Belarus. The Global citizenship program, economics, human rights, 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).
Photographic background :
From 2009 to 2013, Lesia Pcholka worked as a photographer and collaborated with
independent Belarusian media. In 2018-2020 she was a member of the Belarusian
Association of Photographers. Pcholka's photographs have been published in
various media outlets, including the BBC, MOMA, Magnum, EIKON, BLOK, Magazynie RTV, The Calvert Journal, GUP Magazine
Research background
: In 2017, she founded VEHA Archive, a platform dedicated to the
research and preservation of vernacular archival photography, recognising it as
a key element of Belarusian visual history and cultural heritage. In 2020-2021
she taught the course “Visual History of Everyday Life” at the
European College of Liberal Arts in Belarus. In 2021-2024 she was a mentor in
the Social Camp educational project. Pcholka's has lectured at institutions
such as the Archeology of Photography Foundation, European Humanities
University, MEMORIAL Deutschland e.V., Bard College NY, CISR e. V. Berlin.
Lesia 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 / SCHOLARSHIPS
2025 – Gaude Polonia, NCK. Host Arsenal Gallery / Bialystok, PL
2023
– Memory Work. Bundesstiftung Aufarbeitung / CISR e. V. Berlin, DE
– IASPIS. The International Artists Studio Program / Stockholm, SE
2022
– FLOW / PRZEPŁYW. Wisła river, PL
– Q21. MuseumsQuartier / Vienna, AT
2021
– ICORN. Gallery Günter Grass / Gdansk, PL
– Brno AIR. House of Arts / Brno, CZ
– Galeria Arsenal AIR / Bialystok, PL
2020 – Recreation on the Borderland. KX Space / Zalesie, BY
2019
– SOUND iD project. Ukrainian Cultural Foundation / Slavska, UA
– Gaude Polonia, NCK. Host Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii / Warsaw, PL
AWARDS
2025
– Longlist, Ales Adamovich Award (PEN Belarus). Book Descent into the Marsh
– Longlist, Michal Anempadystaw Prize (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, Michal Anempadystaw Prize (PEN Belarus). VEHA book Apošni fotazdymak
– 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
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
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
– 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
– VEHA : Najlepšy bok. Month of Photography in Minsk / Gallery Canteen XYZ. Minsk, BY
– Work Hard! Play Hard!Transmission. Palianina-Pcholka / Minsk, BY