Alexandra Krolikowska

Alexandra Krolikowska is an interdisciplinary artist and psychologist based in Kyiv (b. 1990, Ukraine).

Being born and shaped in the coal mining context in Donetsk, Alexandra dedicates her recent project “Katabasis” within the Re-Grounding residence (UK/Ukraine) to the impact of industrial heritage on the current environmental crisis.

She is currently working on her MA thesis on the psychotherapeutic function of photography within studies on Counselling Psychology at the Pereyaslav University of H.Skoworoda.

Utilizing means of analog photography, video, and performance in her art practice, Alexandra explores the question of political borders, social cohesion, and individual wholeness. Alexandra is interested in mythological thinking and human relations to nature. She also engaged in the research of metamodernity, so she unveils the archetypal image, imagined yet sincere and real aspect of events in her works.


During the residency, I’m going to work on the subject of borders, involving nature in human war, and fortification as a mythologem.
I want to explore the history of the Mannerheim line and other ways of fortification used in resistance to aggressive invasion. I plan to make a photo and video installation dedicated to the traditional military practice of changing the landscape by creating ground boulders in order to restrain the enemy army.

I am also interested to work with a community of Ukrainians in Helsinki, to develop and implement a program for 2 days of phototherapeutic workshops.

Alexandra Krolikowska’s residency is realised in the context of the Ukraine Solidarity Residencies programme.

The current partners of the programme are AARK, Art Centre Salmela, Connecting Points programme, Fairres, Goethe-Institut Finnland, HIAP – Helsinki International Artist Programme, Kristinestad Art Residency, Loviisa Art Support Association, Nelimarkka Museum, Pro Artibus, Tahmelan Huvila, The Finnish Artists’ Studio Foundation, The Finnish Illustration Association Kuvittajat, and Värtsilä Artist Residency. The continuation of the programme is possible due to the support of Kone Foundation and Nordic Culture Point.