Elina Yumasheva captures an emotional response to social and environmental issues. She weaves together the intricate tapestry of human activity and its profound impact on the environment. Elina invites viewers into her psychological landscapes through gestural strokes, rich textures, and a limited colour palette – where the interplay between human and non-human worlds unfolds.
Each piece Elina creates is informed by a narrative that reimages what it means to exist in a fragile yet resilient natural world. Through her art, she seeks to shed light on the interconnectedness of all living beings, advocating for sustainable practices that encourage a symbiotic relationship between humanity and the Earth.
Often intuitive and inseparable, the act of making and the choice of materials contain the inherent message. Elina is increasingly integrating natural materials into her practice, championing eco-conscious creativity as the elected Head of the sustainability society at the Royal College of Art – SustainLab RCA 2023/24.
Always passionate about environmental protection, Elina achieved a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Edinburgh before entering the world of corporate sustainability. Now, with a Certificate in Painting from the Art Academy London, and pursuing an MA in Contemporary Art Practice at the Royal College of Art, Elina continues to express herself through art in addition to science, driving attention to the climate emergency. She is expected to graduate in September 2024.
CV
Here you can access my curriculum vitae in a pdf format.
Education
September 2024
Royal College of Art, MA Contemporary Art Practice
London, United Kingdom (Expected)
June 2021
The Art Academy London, Certificate in Painting
London, United Kingdom
September 2011
The University of Edinburgh
Master of Science, Environmental Protection & Management
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Selected Exhibitions
May 2024
’Wunderkammer’, 54 The Gallery
London, United Kingdom
May 2024
Co-creating With Nature, Upper Gulbenkian Gallery, RCA
London, United Kingdom
April 2024
RCA CAP Broadcast & Screening, Tate Modern Lates
London, United Kingdom
February 2024
Rites and Rituals, Safehouse
London, United Kingdom
February 2024
Everything Must Go, The Cookhouse Gallery
London, United Kingdom
November 2023
No Man’s Land–Terra Nullius, Dyson Gallery, RCA
London, United Kingdom
July-Aug 2023
‘Exquisite Codes’, Bla-bla Projectarium
‘Art-teenth’, Court Square Exchange
Berlin, Germany/Connecticut, USA
October 2022
‘TERRA’, Espacio Gallery
London, United Kingdom
April – May 2022
‘Ambient Anxiety’, Curious Kudu Gallery
London, United Kingdom
Nominations & Positions Held
2023-2024
Royal College of Art, SustainLab RCA, Head
Leading the efforts of the sustainability society (SustainLab RCA) at the Royal College of Art in finding new ways to express creativity while taking into account environmental and social aspects.
2023-2024
Royal College of Art, Environmental Sustainability Committee, Member
2020-2021
Art Academy London, Equality & Diversity Working Group, Member
Residency
Ryuhyo – exploration of drift ice, Hokkaido, Japan January-February 2023
Selected Press
January 2024
The DODO ‘No Man’s Land’ Review (print)
May 2022
Brixton Blog ‘Troubled journeys and seductive places’ (link)
May 2022
Ambient & Ambienti ‘Ambient Anxiety: when art and sustainability collide’ (link)
May 2022
Brixton Bugle ‘Ambient Anxiety in Curious Kudu’ (link)
April 2022
FAD Magazine ‘The top 5 art exhibitions to see in South London’ (link)
Curatorial Projects, Workshops & Talks
May 2024
Co-creating With Nature, Upper Gulbenkian & Hockney Gallery, RCA
Annual SustainLab RCA exhibition
London, United Kingdom
March 2024
SustainLab Talk: What’s the post-RCA world like for eco-conscious artists and designers?
March 2024
Gorvy Lecture Theatre, Dyson Building, Battersea, RCA
February 2024
SustainLab Talk: How do we align our creative practice with naturally sourced materials? February 2024
Lecture Theatre 1, Kensington, Darwin Building, RCA
November 2024
London, United Kingdom
No Man’s Land–Terra Nullius, Dyson Gallery, RCA