Iryna Makhovska was born and raised in Mariupol, Ukraine and discovered her passion for art at an early age. She went on to graduate from Professional Vocational School-99 as a artist-decorator, laying the foundation for a lifelong dedication to visual expression. For many years, her creative path was closely intertwined with her hometown. Iryna worked as both an artist and a teacher of painting, drawing and composition at the Mariupol Art School named after Arkhip Kuindzhi.
The russian invasion of Ukraine and the destruction of Mariupol marked a profound turning point in her life. Forced to leave her home, she relocated to Denmark, carrying with her both the pain of loss and the unbreakable strength of her roots.
Her works have been exhibited in Denmark, Ukraine, and other countries in both solo and group exhibitions. In 2023, her painting appeared during the New Year’s speech of Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, as a symbol of solidarity with Ukraine — a deeply meaningful moment that connected her art to a wider public voice of support.
In 2023 she was an artist-in-residence at Klitgaarden Refugium in Skagen, where she created the first painting in her “Human Made” series — a body of work reflecting on human presence, responsibility, and the traces we leave behind.
Working across various techniques in painting and graphic art, she continuously explores new forms of expression. While she embraces experimentation, she currently feels closest to acrylic painting, drawn to its intensity, immediacy, and expressive depth. Her art is both a testimony and a dialogue — rooted in memory, shaped by resilience, and open to the world.
Selected Exhibitions
- – Solo and group exhibitions in Denmark, including gallery and public exhibition spaces;
- – Participation in Ukrainian and international exhibitions and collaborative art projects in Europe;
- – Presentation of works through international art platforms
Exhibitions history:
2025: Dronninglund Artcenter, Dronninglund, Denmark;
2025: CPH Art Space, Copenhagen, Denmark;
2024: Fifth All-Ukrainian and international exhibition Biennale ODESA-2024 “Sea Aquarelle”;
2024: ARTBOX PROJEKT Zurich 6.0, SWISSARTEXPO, Zurich, Switzerland;
2024: Personal exhibition, Langaa Kunstforening, Denmark;
2023: Personal exhibition of painting, Royal Library, Aarhus, Denmark;
2023: All-Ukrainian International Exhibition “Graphics in Kharkiv 2023”;
2022: Personal exhibition of painting and graphics, Randers, Denmark;
2022: “Supernova. Art of Ukraine”, Basel Art Center, Switzerland;
2022: FabrianoinAcquarello 2022, Bologna, Italy;
2021: All-Ukrainian exhibition “Magical colors of Dnieper”, Ukraine;
2021: IV International Landscape Exhibition “Memorial of A. I.
Kuindzhi”, Ukraine;
2020: All-Ukrainian Christmas Exhibition (Kyiv), Ukraine;
2020: I International Triennial “In the land of Gray Pearls”, Ukraine;
2020: “Graphics in Kharkov”, Ukraine.
