Lana Matskiv

Lana Matskiv is a Ukrainian Canadian artist, who works in oil and graphite. Seven years ago, she walked away from a successful legal career as she had stories to tell on canvases and paper – those of her Ukrainian roots and people she met on the journey to her new homeland of Canada. Since then, she participated in numerous group shows both in Canada and the US, had a solo show at the Toronto Shevchenko Museum and HMVC Gallery in New Your, NY, USA, auctioned her works through Waddington’s for charities in aid of Ukraine, and received awards at international art competitions.

Lana creates figurative symbolist works painting in layers with painstaking attention to tale-telling details, old masters’ style. Dramatic colours of Baroque chiaroscuro tradition push her personages to the frontal plane of the painting, bringing them out of the frame and closer to the viewer. Characters and allegoric objects in Lana’s paintings speak for humanity. They engage you with their intense gaze, contrasting colours and contextual setting. They establish an immediate emotional connection and an in-depth look into their personal realities and history. Whether dressed-up in stage costumes or stripped naked, Lana’s subjects come alive through the artist’s exploration of their souls in realistic or imaginary settings.

List of Exhibitions

2023 – “Dances of the Wanderers”, online solo exhibition, HMVC Gallery, New
York, USA

2023 – Face to Face juried group exhibition, Leslie Grove Gallery, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada

2023 – “ Modportrait” International ARC portrait competition, Barcelona, Spain
· “Selected Artists” Award in Title

2023 – “Hello Tomorrow” online group exhibition, HMVC Gallery, New York ,
USA

2022 –2023 – “Defiance” – solo exhibition, Toronto Shevchenko Museum,
Toronto, Canada
· Three artworks acquired for Permanent Collection, Shevchenko Museum,
Toronto, Canada

2022 – “Rebel Rebel”, online group exhibition, HMVC Gallery, New York, USA

2022 – Online Feature, Canadian Art Daily

2022 – 2022 Curator’s Competition, Art Preservation Institute, International
· “Selected Artist” and “Honorary Mention” Awards in Title

2022 – “Skovoroda’s Universes” group exhibition, Ukrainian Consulate General,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2022 – Work sold by Waddington’s Auctioneers and Appraisers in aid to Ukraine,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2021 – Forces of Resilience, online group exhibition, Art Gallery of Ontario,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2021- “Countenance” group exhibition, Ukrainian Consulate General, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada

2021 – Work sold at Charity Auction Exhibit “i” Canada, Waddington's
Auctioneers & Appraisers, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2021 – Reflections & Dreams Group Exhibit, KUMF Gallery, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada

2021 – Canadian Women’s Art Association group summer exhibition, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada

2021 – “Psychology of Objects” group exhibition, KUMF Gallery, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada
· Artwork acquired for KUMF Gallery permanent collection