ABOUT
Mary Ponomareva is a visual artist, multidisciplinary designer and researcher based in Amsterdam.
In her works, she uses graphic design, virtual reality, CGI and 3D modeling as a tool to envision and question possible futures. She speculates and envisions grotesque realities in order to reflect on future societal and ethical implications of currently emerging technologies.
She critically investigates the role of graphic design in what she calls ‘Dark Aesthetics’. Implying the influence of corporate imagery in the construction of dubious ideologies and their normalization by way of their aesthetics.
In VR installations, texts and videos she ‘builds’ dystopian narratives where science fiction, corporate imagery and simulations are combined to question the incompatible characteristics of the current capitalist system.
She completed her MA at the Sandberg Institute Design Department, obtained BA in Graphic Design at The Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and studied Visual and Applied Art at the Moscow University of Design and Technology. Her work was showcased at 4th Istanbul Design Biennial, TECART ’18, Corridor Project Space, Gogbot’18, IMPAKT festival 2018, Rotterdamse Schouwburg’s Club Imagine.
EXHIBITIONS
2021 – AlienatedGroup, 38CC, Delft (NL)
2021 – Zero Emissions by 2099Curatorial, MAMA Showroom, Rotterdam (NL)
2020 – Factory of Electric DreamsSolo, Tetem, Enschede (NL)
2020 – Gentle StrategisingCuratorial Poule, MAMA Showroom, Rotterdam (NL)
2020 – IMPAKT: A Mainfold of MaybesScreening (NL)
2019 – Luma Days #3, A School of SchoolsGroup, Luma, Arles (FR)
2019 – Z33, A School of SchoolsGroup, C-mine, Genk (BE)
2019 – TEC ART festivalInstallation, Worm Ubik, Rotterdam (NL)
2018 – One Euro Cinema by Telemagic, Museum NightScreening, Stedelijk, Amsterdam (NL)
2018 – IMPAKT festival: Algorithmic Superstructures Screening and Q&A, Het Huis, Utrecht (NL)
2018 – Istanbul Design Beinale, School of SchoolsGroup, Istanbul (TR)
2018 – GOGBOT festival: HyperbrainInstallation, Enschede (NL)
2018 – Robot Love, icw Suzanne PosthumusVideo Project, Campina Milk Factory, Eindhoven (NL)
2017 – Art Rotterdam, Prospects & Concepts, iObjecticw Suzanne Posthumus, Rotterdam (NL)
2017 – The Feminine Land of Welcome, de Gids,icw Ksenija Serbina, Kate Gaidamaka, Sexyland, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 – Technology Meets ImplementationScreening program, W139, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 – Club Imagine, Hoogmoed screening & VR installation, Rotterdamse Schouwburg, Rotterdam (NL)
2017 – The Future of SolidarityGroup, Corridor Project Space, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 – One Euro Cinema by TelemagicScreening, De School, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 – Wait for Cue, Sandberg Graduation ShowGroup, Shelter, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 – Telemagic: Midnight Teleshopping Group, Worm, Rotterdam (NL)
2017 – Make being radical again curated by Tereza RullerScreening, The One Minutes (Arti et Amicitiae; NL, DE, CN)
2016 – Depto, The commons issue, Club Imagine Group performance, Rotterdamse Schouwburg (NL)
2016 – Graphic Design Scotland, We see what we are Expo, shortlist, Lighthouse Glasgow (UK)
2016 – The One Minutes, Expanding our luxury lineScreening, Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts in China (CN)
2016 – The One Minutes, Expanding our luxury lineScreening, Reykjavik International Film Festival (IS)
2016 – Fragments: Typography Deconstructed, Semantic Space Exhibition, Pocko Gallery, London (UK)
2016 – The One Minutes, Expanding our luxury lineScreening, The Sandberg Series (NL, DE, CN)
2016 – Published and Destroyed, Hackers and DesignersExhibition, De Punt, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 – Sandberg Open Day: Design Exhibition, Sandberg Institute, Amsterdam (NL)
2016 – The Lodestone, The End of Privacy FestivalExhibition, Frascati Theater, Amsterdam (NL)
2015 – De Bovenkamers, Haagse Kunstkring,Exhibition, The Hague (NL)
2014 – Image Elixir, Vers Bloed, Haagse Kunstkring Exhibition, The Hague (NL)
2013 – New steps, Haagse KunstkringExhibition, The Hague (NL)
2013 – Semantic space, Graduation ShowExhibition, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, (NL)
2012 – 23rd Festival Graphique, Students all to Chaumont Exhibition, Chaumont (FR)
2012 – KABK Open Day – Graphic Design exhibition Royal Academy of Art, the Hague (NL)
2011 – Psychogeography: a beginner’s guide, AB4 Exhibition, The Hague (NL)
2011 – We are Play Lab, TodaysArt Interactive installation, The Hague (NL)
2011 – Marcel van Eeden Workshop, Royal Gallery KABK Exhibition, The Hague (NL)
2011 – Digging & Diving, Royal Gallery KABK Exhibition, The Hague (NL)
2009 – Mystery, Wind of wanderings Exhibition, Moscow (RU)
2009 – I believe, I love, I hope, I remember, I wait, Wind of wanderings Exhibition, Moscow (RU)
2009 – Museum Night, Exhibition, Wind of wanderings Exhibition, Moscow (RU)
2008 – Retrospective of 21 century, Wind of wanderingsExhibition, Moscow (RU)
EDUCATION
Design, Think tank for visual strategies, MASandberg InstituutNetherlands, Amsterdam2015 – 2017Graphic Design, BARoyal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK)Netherlands, the Hague2010 – 2013Visual and Applied ArtUniversity of Design & Technology (MSUDT)Russia, Moscow2007 – 2010
TALKS & WORKSHOPS
2019 – Alumni Symposium, Presentation Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam (NL)
2018 – GOGBOT cafe, Presentation DesignLab University of Twente, Enschede (NL)
2018 – Non- Linear Tuesday, Presentation KABK, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (NL)
2017 – The HMM @Roze Tanker, PresentationAmsterdam (NL)
2017 – Unnecessary, Unwanted and Uncalled-for, PresentationASCA, UvA, Amsterdam (NL)
2017 – Luxury and Paranoia; Drones and Satellites, Workshopwith Anastasia Kubrak, Amsterdam (NL)
2013 – Semiotics & Visual safety, Workshop with Marleen van der Zanden, Leiden University, The Hague (NL)
AWARDS
2016 – Red Dot Design Award, We Share Solar (designed at studio Today)Winner Communication Design, Berlin (DE)
2012 – 23rd Festival Graphique, International Student Poster CompetitionNomination, Chaumont (FR)
2011 – Crossing Border, Book design & Illustration contest, Winner, The Hague (NL)
2009 – Contemporary Art & Education, Sholokhov UniversityNomination, Moscow (RU)
PUBLICATIONS
2021 – People of Print interviewpeopleofprint.com
2018 – Staying Alive. A “wunderkammer” of disaster solutionsWe-Make-Money-Not-Art.com
2017 – Novum magazine, World of graphic design April Showroom – Novum (DE)
2017 – Fantastic Designs in the Store, KABK Stoor, Pop-Up Stoor – Artpower (CN)
2016 – International Poster Catalogue 16, Image elixir – Graphic Design Festival Scotland (UK)
2016 – International Yearbook Communication Design, ZonneDelen – Red Dot Design (DE)
2016 – Typography: Exploring the limits,Where are we now? – Sandu (CN)
2016 – Visual Harmony,KABK Stoor – Sendpoints (CN)
2016 – Speculating Systems, There is no spoon – Sandberg (NL)
2015 – Chois Gallery Magazine #30Where are we now? – Chois (CN)
2015 – VormplatformKABK Stoor
2014 – IDPURE Magazine #34 Semantic space – IDPURE (CH)
2013 – Blood Sweat Tears DiplomaSemantic space – KABK (NL)
