The artist set to be the next Padnos Distinguished Artist-in-Residence saw an opportunity at Grand Valley to meld two passions – travel and working in an academic setting – to help advance the growth of GVSU's aspiring professional artists as well as her own work.
Katya Grokhovsky is starting the residency in August. The special role in the Department of Visual and Media Arts is designed to help students understand the business side and marketplace of the art world.
"I really like the idea of educators and artists together," said Grokhovsky, who noted how her frequent travel also benefits her work. "I'm really curious about the country and this is a way to be embedded much longer and really get to know people. It's exciting to me and invigorating and refreshing. It feels like my practice moves forward every time."
As a Brooklyn-based artist and native of Ukraine, Grokhovsky has welcomed the opportunities to research different states, each of which has "its own aura." She is excited about the possibilities in Michigan, a large state with a deep history, prominent water resources and other elements to explore.
Grokhovsky is an interdisciplinary artist whose work includes installations, drawing, sculpture, performance and more. She said her research interests include industry, labor and migration.
Renee Zettle-Sterling, department co-chair, called Grokhovsky's artwork and research "profound and essential" and said she brings important insight to this role as an immigrant artist.
"She addresses urgent issues of displacement, collective trauma, and deeply investigates the meanings within everyday materials," Zettle-Sterling said. "Katya's work, through including these perhaps challenging ideas, is a reminder that art holds the capacity to open hearts and minds to the complicated. This position within the department brings the opportunity to understand better what it means to be a maker, live a creative life and encourage thinking deeply about our world and our place in it and what responsibilities that brings."
