Sofia Shilova

I am Sofia Shilova, a Ukrainian artist born on October 6, 2001, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. My artistic practice combines fine art, digital illustration, performance and creative education. Since 2025, I have been living and working in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

I discovered my passion for art at an early age and attended an art school from the fifth grade. I later studied Graphic Design for two years at Kharkiv College of Textile and Design. In 2019, I continued my education at the Kharkiv National University of Urban Economy named after O.M. Beketov, where I studied Fine Arts and received my bachelor’s degree in 2023.

During my studies, I taught drawing and sand animation to children for three years and worked as a freelance graphic designer and photo retoucher. After moving to the Netherlands, I continued teaching drawing online and volunteered at a local school, where I taught drawing and crafts to children, including refugees. I also studied at Sint Lucas in Eindhoven, taking modules related to my previous artistic education.

Over the years, I have participated in exhibitions and cultural projects in the Netherlands and abroad. At Post5700 in Helmond, I exhibited my paintings and became the first artist to reside there as part of the project’s artistic programme.

In 2024, I held an exhibition of my paintings at Cacaofabriek in Helmond, presenting a collection of my works in a dedicated exhibition. The exhibition took place alongside the World Press Photo exhibition, creating an interesting dialogue between contemporary painting and documentary photography.

I also participated in DryPaint exhibitions in Amsterdam, Paris and New York. These exhibitions brought together contemporary artists working with socially and politically relevant themes; one of the works presented was a "Zelenskyy with huyla's head", reflecting the political and emotional context surrounding the war in Ukraine.

I have also participated in the Joong Helmond project with my paintings almost every year, continuing to actively engage with the local artistic community.

In 2025, I was featured in the book "80 Years of Freedom in Helmond". That same year, I participated in Shum, an interdisciplinary performance combining dance, music and percussion inspired by Ukrainian songs. The performance explored the dialogue between movement and sound, as well as the emotional contrast between fear and resilience during the war in Ukraine. The project reflected on Ukrainian identity, displacement, freedom and the human cost of war. The performances took place at the Library of Tilburg, IDWD Studio and Fontys Tilburg.

At the end of January 2026, the book "Wanneer zien we papa weer?" by Paul Nijhof was published, featuring five digital illustrations I created. The illustrations realistically portray the realities of war experienced by Ukrainians, focusing on separation, uncertainty and its emotional impact.

In 2026, I participated in Art Battle Amsterdam on June 7. From September 2 to 6, three of my paintings were exhibited at SwissArtExpo in Zurich, Switzerland.

My current artistic project is Emotions, in which I combine fantastic realism with elements of expressionism. Through this series, I explore my inner world, emotional states and different conditions of the soul, translating feelings that are difficult to express through words into visual experiences. I combine realistic elements with an imaginative and expressive visual language to explore vulnerability, fear, hope, inner conflict and the complexity of human emotions.

The war in Ukraine has deeply influenced my artistic language. Art has become a way for me to process emotions, reflect on difficult experiences and communicate realities that are often impossible to express verbally.

Until now, I have also worked as an educational assistant in technology at Jan van Brabant College. My employment there will end in January 2027, and I am currently looking for a new creative profession where I can combine my artistic experience, creativity and passion for working with people.

At the moment, I teach drawing to children aged 6–13 at Lichtblok in Eindhoven. If you are interested in lessons or would like to register your child, please feel free to contact me.

I am open to creative collaborations, exhibitions, artistic projects, performances, workshops and other opportunities where I can develop my practice and connect with other artists and creative communities.