Elena Ishkova - was born in 1977 in Krasnodar. Today, Elena lives in Vladivostok, Far East of Russia. Elena is an artist and an English translator, Member of Creative Union of Artists of Russia, «Ethnographic Art» department.
She studied Zhostovo painting at master classes with the Honored Artist of Russia, Zhostovo painter, Larisa Goncharova. Currently, Elena is engaged in painting on wood. Most part of Elena Ishkova's creative work is occupied by ethnographic painting of nesting dolls depicting indigenous peoples of the East of Russia.
Elena grew up in the Far North of Russia, where she got acquainted with aboriginal culture.
The artist synthesizes ethnographic images of indigenous peoples of the Far East and North-East of Russia with the traditional form of Russian nesting dolls. Painting of each matryoshka is preceded by ethnographic research work, costume study, and communication with indigenous peoples' associations in the region.
The exhibition shows nesting dolls as aborigines of the Far East of Russia – the Udege and the Nanai people, as well as those of the North-East – the Evens, the Chukchi, the Eskimos and the Koryaks.
«Nanai Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2017
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
Matryoshka «The Nanai bride»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2018
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege Fisherman Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2021
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege Shaman Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2021
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2021
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Even Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2016
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege Craftswoman»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2018
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Nanai with a drum»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2018
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Eskimo Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2020
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Dolgan Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2020
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege»
Painting on wood,
acrylics, varnish, 2020
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Dancing Udege»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2019
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege with Salmon»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2020
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Roly-Poly. Udege and Even»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2017
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Eskimo Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2018
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2019
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege girl with a tiger cub»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2018
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege shaman
with a drum»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2019
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Koryak Matryoshka»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2019
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege – nesting egg»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2017
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Udege Doll with Carpet
– Wooden Egg»
Wood, acrylics, varnish, 2019
Author ELENA ISHKOVA
«Little Matryoshkas: Koryak, Nanai, Udege, Even, Ulchi, Chukchi»
Painting on wood, acrylics, varnish, 2019
Author ELENA ISHKOVA