New Work

Olia Mishchenko

January 21 - February 19, 2011

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untitled , 2011
pen and ink on paper
33 x 118 inches

Olia Mishchenko's works primarily in drawing with projects ranging from miniature bookworks to large-scale wallworks. In 2004, Mishchenko's "2005 of the Top 3000", a 24-sheet (12 x 18 inches each) continuous pen and ink drawing was exhibited at Mercer Union, Toronto and subsequently acquired by the Art Gallery of Ontario. Known more recently for a series of "Backyard" drawings, three of which were commissioned by the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, Mishchenko's current work focuses on educational facility and takes architect Arthur Erickson's University Hall, University of Lethbridge, as it's subject and starting point in the first of this series.

Olia Mishchenko was born in 1980 at Kiev, Ukraine and moved to Canada in 1997. She studied architecture and art history at the University of Toronto before becoming a practicing artist. She has been exhibiting in solo and group exhibitions since 2003, including Mercer Union, YYZ Artists' Outlet, the Doris McCarthy Gallery and the Art Gallery of Ontario. She teaches at OCAD University (formerly the Ontario College of Art and Design) in the Environmental Design Programme as well as designing and running innovative and collaborative architecture and new media projects for children at several contemporary art and design institutions including the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Oakville Galleries and OCAD University in Toronto.