MARINA KOTLIAR

Marina was born and raised in Ukraine in a family of a banker and entrepreneur. Her passion for art has deep roots—her great-grandfather was an artist who worked during the time of the Second World War. 

Being an artist in post-Soviet Ukraine often meant a life of financial struggle. For Marina, art was nothing more than a hobby just until recently. "In Ukraine, to meet an artist, you could go to one of the main streets of the city and see hundreds of artworks placed on the ground in the alley. It didn't matter if it was a hot summer or a bitterly cold winter—artists would always be there," Marina comments.

To escape the life of financial hardship, Marina had to give up her dream of pursuing formal academic training in art. Instead, she earned a Master’s Degree in Linguistics from Kyiv International University and worked in logistics in her hometown of Dnipro, in eastern Ukraine. There, she spent four years developing skills in various fields, while continuing to paint for her personal pleasure.

"It is sad to realise how much influence society has on us, often shaping an entirely distorted perspective of life. It took me many years to learn that with enough effort and passion, you can succeed in almost any field. Art is no exception," Marina shares.

While in Ukraine, Marina attended various art courses and became actively involved with artist associations to maintain a strong connection to the art world. Moving to the UAE in 2017 became a big shift affecting Marina’s perspective on the world. Driven by the wish to find stability, safety, and security, Marina has spent a few years working in the corporate environment before she was ready to extend her full focus into the art world.

First Gallery that picked up Marina’s artworks was the Fine Art Gallery located near Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, where Marina had her studio, getting familiar with the local art environment. 

Collecting her experience for the upcoming author artworks, Marina has produced more than 50 artworks since her relocation from Ukraine. She has been working with various styles and mediums before she could shape her own artistic voice. All artworks and projects were created based on the internal world, emotions, experiences, and history of Marina’s life.