Iryna Koval

She was born in 1972 in Popasna—a town where craftsmanship was not merely a profession, but a part of one’s identity. Her parents worked as glassblowers at the Popasna Glass Factory, continuing a family tradition. From childhood, Iryna grew up in an environment that valued manual labor, form, and material.

Creativity accompanied her from an early age: drawing, design knitting, appliqué using natural materials (oshibana), and a fascination with Japanese culture. At the same time, life took a turn such that creativity took a backseat for a long time, giving way to professional pursuits.

Iryna holds a degree in chemistry (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv) and a master’s degree in public administration (National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine). For many years, she has worked at the intersection of management, medicine, and infrastructure projects. She has led both public and private organizations and participated in the creation and transformation of complex systems—ranging from medical infrastructure to social initiatives at the national level. She founded the “Liti” Charitable Foundation and the “Daneya Center for Integrative Rehabilitation” nonprofit organization.

In 2022, her hometown was destroyed, and the Popasna Glass Factory was virtually wiped out. During this time, Iryna assembled a collection of the factory’s blown glass pieces (some of which are over 60 years old). This collection became the foundation for a new meaning: reflecting on memory through material. Thus was born the dream of an exhibition project about resilience—about the ability of things and people not merely to withstand blows, but to gain new value after them.

Her return to her own creative work took place in 2025. Iryna created her first collage as a personal gesture—an attempt to piece herself back together from fragments of experience.

It was symbolic: tearing, cutting up the old, and assembling something whole from scattered experiences, roles, and states. That same year, on her birthday, Iryna decided to hold a small exhibition among friends, sharing her works, and received a lot of positive feedback, which inspired her to move further in this direction.

Since then, collage has become for her a form of exploring identity, memory, and inner processes. Her works combine irony, delicate surrealism, and attention to detail. They often balance between fairy tale and reality—not least thanks to the time spent with her grandson, in play and imagination.

The book club she founded has become a cultural project in its own right, meeting regularly at “Coffee House London” in Podil. It is not just a space for reading, but a carefully curated experience featuring a distinctive atmosphere, scenography, symbolic details, and lively conversations.

For Iryna, turning to art was not a career change—rather, a continuation of her work. Whereas she previously worked with external systems, she now works with internal states, meanings, and images.

Iryna Koval has been married for over 30 years and has a large family, including a daughter and a grandson, who are an important part of her life and inspiration.