b. 1993, Ukraine

Using old photographs of Ukrainians, Olga Zerno creates refined, smart, and sometimes ironic collages that combine tradition and modernity.

Olga Zerno was born in Berehove in the Zakarpattia region. Until the age of six, she lived in the countryside, surrounded by woodlands. This, she says, inspired in her a great love for nature. She now lives and works in Lviv where she creates collages and digital art; she also works on projects as a designer and illustrator. For Zerno, art is a manifestation of her emotions and a response to what is happening in the world around her.

She considers inspiration to be something abstract, so when an idea comes up or something happens, she transforms her thoughts and feelings into art. In her collages, Olga uses photographs of Ukrainians taken over 100 years ago. The collages are an attempt to understand her ancestors—who they were as people and what their lives were like. History is cyclical, so the artist believes that the emotions and feelings experienced by her predecessors can help Ukrainians cope with what is happening today.

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