Yuliya Lanina: Mother/Land

Yuliya Lanina’s exhibition “Mother/Land” delves into the Austin-based artist’s complex and personal relationship with the war in Ukraine. Through animation, sculpture, and installation, Lanina offers an introspective exploration of the emotional and physical impact of war and trauma.

The show’s centerpiece is a large scale animation composed from emotionally charged ink drawings Laninia has made since the war began. The continuous scroll of images represents the artist’s experience of the war from afar. Giant all-seeing red flowers with eyes stand around the gallery and serve as witnesses. Accompanying the installation is a soundscape by Nina C. Young containing fragments of melodies from the Ukrainian national anthem, sirens, and birdsong.

A secular Jew of Ukrainian descent born and raised in Moscow, Lanina is a second-generation Holocaust survivor who arrived in New York in 1990 as a political refugee. There, she established herself as a pioneering artist on the cutting edge by combining digital technologies with handmade media. Based in Austin for the last decade, Lanina is an assistant professor in UT’s School of Design & Entertainment Technologies.