Elena Shkvarkina (b. 1988 Moscow) is a Nihonga (Japanese style) artist and ink painter who lives and works in London, UK. Practicing the ancient traditions of Nihonga, she prepares paints from pulverised mineral pigments, earths and oyster shells bound with animal glue.
Drawing inspiration from nature, Elena harnesses forces of destruction and regeneration that manifest in the relentless cycles of weathering, erosion, volcanic eruption, and glacial carving. She recreates these elemental events through a distinctive technique that deviates from conventional brushwork. Instead, she embraces strikes, vibrations, and swings, guided by the pull of the gravity itself. Her transient mind scapes offer the viewer an empathetic reflection of self within cyclical patterns of nature.
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