By submitting, you agree to our privacy policy
Margo Ovcharenko
Margo is a Kyiv-based artist, born in Soviet Russia and currently displaced. She graduated from The Rodchenko Art School in 2011 and received an MFA from Hunter College through the Fulbright Program in 2015. In 2011, she was an artist-in-residence at Fabrica S.p.A. in Italy. Her work was shortlisted for the Aperture First PhotoBook Award in 2018 and the Aperture Portfolio Prize in 2022. She was included in Nathalie Herschdorfer’s Body: The Photography Book in 2019 and in reGeneration2: Tomorrow’s Photographers Today by Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne, in 2011. Her monographs, artist books, and zines were published since 2011. She often uses the tension between text and photography to create narratives that connect the personal, the political, and the historical. Deeply engaged with feminist and queer discourse, she has worked with LGBTQ+ communities and questions of queer intimacy for over fourteen years in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Her projects examine Soviet and Russian propaganda, gendered bodies, sports, and queer intimacy.
Margo Ovcharenko
b. 1989, Krasnodar, Russia
Education
2015: MFA, Hunter College CUNY, New York, NY
2011: The Rodchenko Art School, Moscow, Russia
Residencies and Awards
2022: "Re-public of Cultural Workers," Oberliht association, Chisinau, Moldova
2022: "Aperture Portfolio Prize" shortlist, NYC
2018: "Aperture – Paris Photo" first photobook shortlist, NYC
2017: "Empty Stretch" zine grant, Minneapolis, MN, USA
2017: "The Portfolio Review: Duesseldorf Photo Weekend NRW-forum Düsseldorf," Dusseldorf, Germany
2014: FotoFest’s scholarship program to the Meeting Place, Houston, TX, USA
2015: The Fulbright Foreign Student Program, IIE, New York, NY
2013: Program to support young artists, Garage CCC, Moscow, Russia
2011: "Plat(t)form: The Forum for New European Photography," Fotomuseum Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland
2010: "Fabrica the Benetton Group Communication Research Center," Treviso, Italy
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2025: With Feathers, Seasons, LA, USA
2025: Overtime, iE space, Shanghai, China
2018: "Before and in Time," Pop/Off/Art gallery within Moscow PhotobookFest 2018, Moscow, Russia
2015: "Am I Beautiful," Manege Hall, Moscow, Russia
2013: "Furieuse comme un enfant," Pop/Off/Art gallery, Moscow, Russia
2012: "Furieuse comme un enfant," Liza Fetissova gallery, Paris, France
2011: "Hermitage," Fotodepartament, St. Petersburg, Russia
2010: "Escape," Fabrika within The Eighth International Photography Month in Moscow: Photobiennale 2010, Fabrika, Moscow, Russia
2010: "Margo," Fotografik center, Copenhagen, Denmark
2009: "Boys," Exhibition Hall Small Manege within Fotodepartament, St. Petersburg, Russia
2008: "Without Me," Fotodepartament, St. Petersburg, Russia
Selected Group Shows
2024: Athens photo festival, Athens, Greece
2020: "Beyond Center," commissioned by Simon Mraz Austrian Cultural Forum Moscow, Zil, Moscow
2019: "Professionals" curated by Nina Gomiashvili, Tirage Unique gallery, Moscow
2018: "Rebel Girl" within "Exhibition on the history of Russian football" VDNH, Karelia Pavilion, Moscow, Russia
2018: "PhotobookFest Dummy contest" shortlist, Lumiere Center for Photography, Moscow, Russia
2017: "Up to Now. Fabrica Photography.," Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy
2017: "Slide Show" presented by Strange Fire Collective "Call and Response: Art as Resistance" at Month of Photography Denver, Denver, CO, USA; Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, Washington, USA
2017: "Under Pressure," RTR gallery, Paris, France
2016: "On Behalf of Baboushka," RTR gallery, Paris, France
2015: Hunter College MFA Thesis Show, 205 Hudson street gallery, New York, NY
2014: "The Youth Code," Christophe Guye Galerie, Zurich, Switzerland
2014: "11," project space at Garage CCC, Moscow, Russia
2013: ViennaFair 2013, pop/off/art gallery, Vienna, Austria
2013: "You’re My Mirror," Athens Photo Festival, Athens, Greece
2012: "Madre Russia," Asolo Art Film Festival, Asolo, Italy
2012: "The Young Generation," Houston FotoFest Biennale, Houston, Texas
2011: "The NoFound Photo Fair," Paris, France
2011: "Territories of Desire" Backlight Photo Festival 2011, Tampere, Finland
2011: "Hope," New York Photo Festival 2011, New York, NY, USA
2010: "Russians! Russian Photographic Portrait 1970–2010," Orel Art gallery, Paris, France
2010: "The Object of Desire," RTR gallery, Paris, France
2010: "reGeneration2— Tomorrow's Photographers Today," Musée de l'Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland; Pingyao International Photography Festival, Pingyao, China; Michaelis School of Fine Art, Cape Town, South Africa; Ludwig Museum, Budapest, Hungary; Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italy; Fotoweek, Washington DC, USA; Flash Forward Festival, Toronto, Canada; Gallery, Miami Dade College, Miami, USA; Aperture Foundation, New York, USA
2009: "Christmas Flesh," RTR gallery, Paris, France
2009: "Look Me in the Eyes," RTR gallery, Paris, France
Works in Collections
Musée de l'Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland
Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, Russia
Fotomuseum Winterthur’s Library book collection, Winterthur, Switzerland
Selected Publications
2026: “Overtime” photobook, Imageless publishing, Shanghai, China
2022: “The Ebb” zine, self-published, Chisinau, Moldova
2022: "The Eyes Magazine" (№ 13 Aftercare), France
2020: "Vostok Magazine" “After Youth” Issue Vol.21, South Korea
2020: "Foam Magazine" #56 Elsewhere, Netherlands
2019: "Body: The Photography Book," by Nathalie Herschdorfer, Thames and Hudson
2018: "Country of Women" zine, Empty Stretch, Moscow
2017: "Up to Now. Fabrica Photography.," Italy
2017: "Conscientious Photo Magazine," USA
2015: "Zenith Project" at GUP Magazine, the Netherlands
2015: "The Exposed Magazine," Denmark
2014: "Zerozerouno" № 3, Italy
2014: "Exit" (Nudes Issue), Spain
2013: "Yet Magazine" №3
2013: "Artpress" № 391, France
2012: "Telerama," March Issue, France
2012: "Camera Austria" №117, Austria
2011: "Unless You Will" №16
2011: "European Photography" №90 (Privacy Issue), Germany
2010: "reGeneration2— Tomorrow's Photographers Today" (Book), Switzerland
2010: "Photo" №471, France
Teaching and Public Talks
2022 to present: Margo Ovcharenko’s Workshop, 1-year-long program, online
2017 to present: Pole Zreniya School, class on portraiture, online
2021-2022: Rodchenko Art School, online
2021: Dean of Photography Program at Geek Brains, online platform
2020: Curator of Public Talks on Photobooks, Moscow Museum of Multimedia Art, Moscow, Russia
2018: "Creating a Photobook: Editing, Structure, Layout" at Pole Zreniya School, Moscow, supported by Image Threads LLC, USA
2018: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Kosmosfest, Kostroma, Russia
2018: Artist Talk at Recycleart, Brussels, Belgium
2017-2018: Course "Creating a Photobook: Editing, Structure, Layout" in collaboration with Jenya Fridlyand, supported by Image Threads LLC, Kyiv, Ukraine
2017: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Samara, Russia
2017: Reviewer at the International Kiev Portfolio Review, Photoclub 5.6, Kiev
2017: Public Discussion "Conversation about Photobooks" with Jenya Fridlyand, Photoclub 5.6, Kyiv, Ukraine
2017: Photobook Creation Workshop, Photoclub 5.6, Kyiv, Ukraine
2017: Public Discussion as part of the presentation of the project "Amplitude," Lumiere Brothers Gallery, Moscow
2016: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Kyiv, Ukraine
2016: Artist Talk, Photoclub 5.6, Kyiv, Ukraine
2016: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Minsk, Belarus
2016: Artist Talk, National Centre for Contemporary Arts (NCCA), Minsk, Belarus
2016: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Photodepartment, St. Petersburg, Russia
2016: Artist Talk, Sreda, Moscow, Russia
2016: Artist Talk, Photodepartment, St. Petersburg, Russia
2014: Workshop "From Chaos to Order and Back," Photodepartment, St. Petersburg, Russia
2014: Author's Course at the School of Visual Arts, Winzavod, Moscow, Russia
2014: Artist Talk, Winzavod, Moscow, Russia
2012: Artist Talk, M17 Center for Contemporary Art, Kyiv, Ukraine
b. 1989, Krasnodar, Russia
Education
2015: MFA, Hunter College CUNY, New York, NY
2011: The Rodchenko Art School, Moscow, Russia
Residencies and Awards
2022: "Re-public of Cultural Workers," Oberliht association, Chisinau, Moldova
2022: "Aperture Portfolio Prize" shortlist, NYC
2018: "Aperture – Paris Photo" first photobook shortlist, NYC
2017: "Empty Stretch" zine grant, Minneapolis, MN, USA
2017: "The Portfolio Review: Duesseldorf Photo Weekend NRW-forum Düsseldorf," Dusseldorf, Germany
2014: FotoFest’s scholarship program to the Meeting Place, Houston, TX, USA
2015: The Fulbright Foreign Student Program, IIE, New York, NY
2013: Program to support young artists, Garage CCC, Moscow, Russia
2011: "Plat(t)form: The Forum for New European Photography," Fotomuseum Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland
2010: "Fabrica the Benetton Group Communication Research Center," Treviso, Italy
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2025: With Feathers, Seasons, LA, USA
2025: Overtime, iE space, Shanghai, China
2018: "Before and in Time," Pop/Off/Art gallery within Moscow PhotobookFest 2018, Moscow, Russia
2015: "Am I Beautiful," Manege Hall, Moscow, Russia
2013: "Furieuse comme un enfant," Pop/Off/Art gallery, Moscow, Russia
2012: "Furieuse comme un enfant," Liza Fetissova gallery, Paris, France
2011: "Hermitage," Fotodepartament, St. Petersburg, Russia
2010: "Escape," Fabrika within The Eighth International Photography Month in Moscow: Photobiennale 2010, Fabrika, Moscow, Russia
2010: "Margo," Fotografik center, Copenhagen, Denmark
2009: "Boys," Exhibition Hall Small Manege within Fotodepartament, St. Petersburg, Russia
2008: "Without Me," Fotodepartament, St. Petersburg, Russia
Selected Group Shows
2024: Athens photo festival, Athens, Greece
2020: "Beyond Center," commissioned by Simon Mraz Austrian Cultural Forum Moscow, Zil, Moscow
2019: "Professionals" curated by Nina Gomiashvili, Tirage Unique gallery, Moscow
2018: "Rebel Girl" within "Exhibition on the history of Russian football" VDNH, Karelia Pavilion, Moscow, Russia
2018: "PhotobookFest Dummy contest" shortlist, Lumiere Center for Photography, Moscow, Russia
2017: "Up to Now. Fabrica Photography.," Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy
2017: "Slide Show" presented by Strange Fire Collective "Call and Response: Art as Resistance" at Month of Photography Denver, Denver, CO, USA; Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, Washington, USA
2017: "Under Pressure," RTR gallery, Paris, France
2016: "On Behalf of Baboushka," RTR gallery, Paris, France
2015: Hunter College MFA Thesis Show, 205 Hudson street gallery, New York, NY
2014: "The Youth Code," Christophe Guye Galerie, Zurich, Switzerland
2014: "11," project space at Garage CCC, Moscow, Russia
2013: ViennaFair 2013, pop/off/art gallery, Vienna, Austria
2013: "You’re My Mirror," Athens Photo Festival, Athens, Greece
2012: "Madre Russia," Asolo Art Film Festival, Asolo, Italy
2012: "The Young Generation," Houston FotoFest Biennale, Houston, Texas
2011: "The NoFound Photo Fair," Paris, France
2011: "Territories of Desire" Backlight Photo Festival 2011, Tampere, Finland
2011: "Hope," New York Photo Festival 2011, New York, NY, USA
2010: "Russians! Russian Photographic Portrait 1970–2010," Orel Art gallery, Paris, France
2010: "The Object of Desire," RTR gallery, Paris, France
2010: "reGeneration2— Tomorrow's Photographers Today," Musée de l'Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland; Pingyao International Photography Festival, Pingyao, China; Michaelis School of Fine Art, Cape Town, South Africa; Ludwig Museum, Budapest, Hungary; Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italy; Fotoweek, Washington DC, USA; Flash Forward Festival, Toronto, Canada; Gallery, Miami Dade College, Miami, USA; Aperture Foundation, New York, USA
2009: "Christmas Flesh," RTR gallery, Paris, France
2009: "Look Me in the Eyes," RTR gallery, Paris, France
Works in Collections
Musée de l'Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland
Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, Russia
Fotomuseum Winterthur’s Library book collection, Winterthur, Switzerland
Selected Publications
2026: “Overtime” photobook, Imageless publishing, Shanghai, China
2022: “The Ebb” zine, self-published, Chisinau, Moldova
2022: "The Eyes Magazine" (№ 13 Aftercare), France
2020: "Vostok Magazine" “After Youth” Issue Vol.21, South Korea
2020: "Foam Magazine" #56 Elsewhere, Netherlands
2019: "Body: The Photography Book," by Nathalie Herschdorfer, Thames and Hudson
2018: "Country of Women" zine, Empty Stretch, Moscow
2017: "Up to Now. Fabrica Photography.," Italy
2017: "Conscientious Photo Magazine," USA
2015: "Zenith Project" at GUP Magazine, the Netherlands
2015: "The Exposed Magazine," Denmark
2014: "Zerozerouno" № 3, Italy
2014: "Exit" (Nudes Issue), Spain
2013: "Yet Magazine" №3
2013: "Artpress" № 391, France
2012: "Telerama," March Issue, France
2012: "Camera Austria" №117, Austria
2011: "Unless You Will" №16
2011: "European Photography" №90 (Privacy Issue), Germany
2010: "reGeneration2— Tomorrow's Photographers Today" (Book), Switzerland
2010: "Photo" №471, France
Teaching and Public Talks
2022 to present: Margo Ovcharenko’s Workshop, 1-year-long program, online
2017 to present: Pole Zreniya School, class on portraiture, online
2021-2022: Rodchenko Art School, online
2021: Dean of Photography Program at Geek Brains, online platform
2020: Curator of Public Talks on Photobooks, Moscow Museum of Multimedia Art, Moscow, Russia
2018: "Creating a Photobook: Editing, Structure, Layout" at Pole Zreniya School, Moscow, supported by Image Threads LLC, USA
2018: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Kosmosfest, Kostroma, Russia
2018: Artist Talk at Recycleart, Brussels, Belgium
2017-2018: Course "Creating a Photobook: Editing, Structure, Layout" in collaboration with Jenya Fridlyand, supported by Image Threads LLC, Kyiv, Ukraine
2017: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Samara, Russia
2017: Reviewer at the International Kiev Portfolio Review, Photoclub 5.6, Kiev
2017: Public Discussion "Conversation about Photobooks" with Jenya Fridlyand, Photoclub 5.6, Kyiv, Ukraine
2017: Photobook Creation Workshop, Photoclub 5.6, Kyiv, Ukraine
2017: Public Discussion as part of the presentation of the project "Amplitude," Lumiere Brothers Gallery, Moscow
2016: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Kyiv, Ukraine
2016: Artist Talk, Photoclub 5.6, Kyiv, Ukraine
2016: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Minsk, Belarus
2016: Artist Talk, National Centre for Contemporary Arts (NCCA), Minsk, Belarus
2016: Workshop "Power and Technique of Intimate Portraiture," Photodepartment, St. Petersburg, Russia
2016: Artist Talk, Sreda, Moscow, Russia
2016: Artist Talk, Photodepartment, St. Petersburg, Russia
2014: Workshop "From Chaos to Order and Back," Photodepartment, St. Petersburg, Russia
2014: Author's Course at the School of Visual Arts, Winzavod, Moscow, Russia
2014: Artist Talk, Winzavod, Moscow, Russia
2012: Artist Talk, M17 Center for Contemporary Art, Kyiv, Ukraine