Katya Grokhovsky Inspires Through Art, Education, and Cultural Exploration

Photo: Katya Grokhovsky is a trailblazing artist whose boundary-pushing work and mentorship inspire a new generation of thoughtful creators. (Katya Grokhovsky Between Earth and Sky 2023)

Bridging Art, Identity, and Community

Katya Grokhovsky shares insights into her residencies, teaching philosophy, immigrant experience, and ongoing commitment to community-engaged art, blending education and creativity to inspire emerging artists and foster transformative collaborations.

Katya Grokhovsky’s creative journey is nothing short of extraordinary. A visionary artist, educator, and the dynamic Founding Director of The Immigrant Artist Biennial (TIAB), Grokhovsky has made an indelible mark on the global art world with her unrelenting pursuit of engaging, thought-provoking, and deeply personal work. Born in Ukraine and now calling New York City home, she exemplifies a modern, multidisciplinary approach to art and community-building that challenges conventions, ignites conversations, and creates spaces for transformative collaboration.

With a staggering breadth of residencies, awards, and exhibitions to her name, Grokhovsky’s artistic practice is as prolific as it is profound. Her work masterfully weaves together themes of identity, migration, and cultural exploration, resulting in projects that are as conceptually rich as they are visually arresting. From the halls of the Brooklyn Museum to international art institutions, her exhibitions resonate with a unique intimacy and boldness that invite her audiences to reflect on what it means to belong, to persevere, and to create in the face of change.

As an educator, Grokhovsky amplifies her impact by inspiring and mentoring rising artists, cultivating spaces where experimentation and vulnerability become the seeds of innovation. Her dedication to fostering critical thinking and collaboration transcends traditional boundaries, offering students an invaluable window into the multifaceted realities of being a contemporary artist. Whether through her residency at Grand Valley State University or her curatorial leadership at TIAB, Grokhovsky’s unyielding commitment to the arts is not only reshaping the way we think about art-making but also paving the way for a more inclusive, compassionate, and interconnected creative landscape.

This issue of WOWwART celebrates Katya Grokhovsky’s unparalleled artistry and the remarkable philosophy that informs her practice. In the pages that follow, you’ll catch a glimpse into her inspiring journey, her reflections on blending education and art, and the powerful ways she bridges cultures, disciplines, and communities through her work. It’s an honor to present this conversation with an artist whose vision not only transforms art itself but also the hearts and minds of those around her.

How have your previous artist residencies informed your artistic practice and teaching philosophy, and what lessons are you employing in your current role as 2024/2025 Padnos Distinguished Artist in Residence at Grand Valley State University?

My motto is to learn by doing. Travelling and diving into different environments and cultures during my residencies has greatly expanded my horizons, inspiring me to mix in a variety of media and cultural viewpoints into my work. Working with professionals from various fields has pushed my practice’s boundaries, blending new approaches and mediums. These experiences taught me the value of creating an inclusive, experimental, and student-centered learning space that promotes critical thinking and reflection. At Grand Valley State University, I’m channeling these lessons into my projects and personalized mentorship to support students’ journeys.

“My motto is to learn by doing.” –Katya Grokhovsky

What specific aspirations and goals as an artist do you have for your residency at GVSU?

I would like to keep exploring new mediums and forging new avenues of inquiry in my practice. I usually work on multi-year projects that often develop during residencies, supported by various institutions. I aim to weave my current access to unique facilities, location, history, and context of GVSU into my work, taking it in directions I wouldn’t normally possibly go in NYC. As I delve into American culture, I’m captivated by the unique differences between each state and institution. This curiosity is currently driving me to research archives and locality. I’m particularly drawn to the themes of immigration journeys and cultural specifics in Michigan.

In what ways do you see your role as an educator during this residency contributing to the growth and development of students as emerging artists?

As a visiting artist, I see myself as a bridge between academia and the outside world. I’ve worked extensively and professionally in various roles, and I love discussing the different paths an artist can take, including the dedication, struggles, triumphs, and mistakes. I see my role as one of addressing issues, offering solutions, and providing motivation, inspiration, and energy. I’ve dedicated my life to art, and I’m passionate about sharing all its facets with student artists.

How does your background as an immigrant artist influence your numerous residency experiences?

Being an immigrant artist has been a huge asset, making me incredibly adaptable and able to set up my practice anywhere. Residencies tend to act as mini life-changing events; and while they can often be isolating and lonely experiences, I find that I thrive within unfamiliarity. I turn to my work for comfort and consistently expand it in that regard. Just like an immigrant, my art practice and life now mirrors the experience of language learning and cultural shock, allowing me to draw on these experiences to navigate new environments and artistic challenges.

How do you balance your artistic projects with your educational commitments?

I tend to merge my art practice and educational commitments together whenever possible. Academic residencies naturally facilitate this integration, allowing students to be exposed to my way of working while I engage with academic settings. I learn in leaps and bounds by being embedded in art departments, and I am fascinated by the sometimes-challenging navigation of relationships between professional art practice and education. One needs the other, but there tends to be a tense give and take. I have learned to protect my studio time ferociously while being generous enough to create a balance between art-making and teaching. Both significantly feed each other and are important in my life.

How do you foster collaboration and community engagement through your residency, and what unique opportunities do you hope to create for students?

My previous artist residencies have been quite transformative, deepening my commitment to interdisciplinary experimentation and fostering a collaborative spirit within my work. Each environment has reinforced the importance of facilitating spaces where risk-taking, obsessions, failure and vulnerability are considered generative.  I have learned that profound artistic breakthroughs often arise from unexpected intersections of ideas, dialogue, and disciplines. Through my time at GVSU, I am fostering collaboration and community building by initiating projects that involve students, creating opportunities for them to learn and explore new creative possibilities together side by side with a practicing artist.

BAD WOMEN (2024)

Katya Grokhovsky’s Bad Woman (2024) is a bold, surreal exploration of identity, performance, and the absurd. Featuring vibrant masks, shaggy costumes, and an oversized, lime-green fuzzy sphere, the work combines humor and mystery in an otherworldly outdoor setting. The performers’ theatrical engagement with the sphere invites viewers into a playful yet thought-provoking narrative, blurring lines between human, alien, and object. The contrast of vivid colors against a muted landscape intensifies the composition’s dynamic energy. Grokhovsky’s ability to cultivate intrigue and wonder makes Bad Woman an unforgettable visual and conceptual delight.