Aya Shalkar is a conceptual multimedia artist from Kazakhstan, currently based in New York City and represented by Sapar Contemporary. At the age of 17, she moved to France to study Visual Arts at the University of Strasbourg. She later transferred to the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria, where she received Masters in Graphic Design in 2020. Shalkar is the founder of Studio Oneki, an experimental design studio based in Kazakhstan. Shalkar’s artistic practice is rooted in her Central Asian background and Kazakh visual and material culture, with many of her works addressing cultural identity and gender roles. She includes the techniques of embroidery, patchwork and other forms of traditional applied arts that are predominantly practiced by women. Shalkar’s vision is influenced by her graphic design training and passion for sci-fi. Her artistic universe is a place where Central Asian heritage meets science fiction and fantasy. Further, Shalkar pulls from her modeling and acting experience in order to incorporate her own body and image into her artistic projects. Her digital work has organically found its place in Web3 as successful NFTs. Aya became known for her creative projects on Instagram and uses her ever-growing platform for art and self-expression.
