Biography
Name: Irina (Sergeevna) Akimova
Date of Birth: August 6, 1975
Hometown: Melitopol, Ukraine
Residence: Belgium
Education:
- Melitopol Children’s Art School — First steps into the world of art
- Academy of Agro-Technical Management — Electrical Engineer with a deep understanding of materials and form
- Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten, Aalst — Exploration of intuitive techniques and large-scale forms
- Kunstakademie, Eeklo — Mastery of fine arts
- Institute of Advertising, Kyiv — Philosophy of imagery and design thinking
Artistic Focus:
Sculpture (especially wood carving), graphic arts, painting. Her large-scale wooden sculptures have received particular acclaim.
Sources of Inspiration:
Nature, the resonance of emotions and forms, harmony between natural materials and personal experience
Creative Mission:
Art as the language of the soul — a way to find inner balance and engage in genuine dialogue with the viewer
Awards and Recognition:
- Awarded by the Mayor of Aalst for her ambitious and talented approach to drawing, recognized as an artist who expands the boundaries of art and emotion
- Officially recognized by the Belgian Artists’ Commission as an artist since 2021
- Created the sculpture project symbol for the city of Melitopol
- Participated in a tender project for the symbol of SEVENEIKEN Province
- Developed a sculpture for a nature conservation organization: The Forester, a symbol of the Keygatbos forest
- Created the sculpture Moment in memory of Robert De Luste in Assenede Province
- Her sculptures were featured in the Belgian TV series Chantal (2022)
- Irina’s work has been highlighted in Yedinstvennaya (2021), Natuurpunt (2019, 2020, 2021), and ProMeet (2022), as well as on Belgian television channel AVS
