Ira Brana was born in 1990 in Siberia, Omsk, in a Russian-Ukrainian family.
Since 2009, she has used photography as a tool for artistic practice. Thus, photography became for Ira the main activity and profession.
In 2014, she moved to St. Petersburg, received a second German citizenship, as a descendant of parents who were suppressed during World War II on the territory of the Soviet Union. Since 2018, she has been studying the history of contemporary art, attending conferences and classes. Since 2020, Ira has participated in numerous exhibitions in Russia, Germany, Armenia and Montenegro.
Most of Ira`s projects are based on photography, then transforming into various forms: modern still life, objects, photo sculpture, video.
Co-founder of Pink Foam art group.
Currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.
Selected group exhibitions, art fairs
Se*uality, NPAK, Armenian center of contemporary art, Yerevan-2024
Body alchemy, Haze gallery|Retramp gallery, Berlin-2023
Metamorphosis, Social cultural space Pomorandža, Montenegro-2023
Let's get in touch, Ratepay, Berlin-2023-2024
Festival of life, Haze gallery, 3d online, Berlin-2023
Art weekend 1.0, Studio O2, Montenegro-2023
BAAM art fair, Berlin-2023
Artefact, One`s mind gallery, St. Petersburg-2023
Port art fair, Sevkabel port, St. Petersburg-2023
Homecoming, Art Kvartal gallery, Yerevan-2023
Blazar young art fair, Museum of Moscow, Moscow-2022
International film festival Mental fest, DK Rassvet, Moscow-2022
Skin and bones, space 1.201, St. Petersburg-2022
Field of physicality, DK Rosy, St. Petersburg-2021
Visibility, Sevkabel port, St. Petersburg-2021
Data 6, Zverevskiy Center for Contemporary Art, Moscow-2021
Code-named Moon, Art Center Polygraphic department, Moscow-2021
The body as a metaphor, Constructor space, St. Petersburg-2020
Art residence
NPAK, Women`s residence-workshop, Yerevan-2024
Artist talks
From Irving Penn to Ira Brana, Art meet, St. Petersburg-2022
It's my still life, Experimental fest, St. Petersburg-2022
It's my still life, Art meet space 1.201, St. Petersburg-2022
Publications, interview
Interview with photographer Irina Brana, Haze gallery, 2023
Avgustnik magazine, 2023
Chislennichek project, edition 2022-2023
Esquire (Rules of life), Сreate from what is available, 2022
Blueprint`s choice of artists Blazar Fair-2022
Ladies drawing club, 2020
AS
My art revolves around themes like the beauty of everyday life, social connections, the delicate nature of memories, corporeality and the tactile sensations of our existence.
For my still lifes I choose objects based on their aesthetic appeal, cultural significance, or personal connection to create a narrative. Often I use paper fragments of my body and face to play with a distance between the author and the viewer. I aim to be just visible enough to maintain an abstract and comfortably depersonalized proximity.
Self-portraits, objects and video are also an important part of my practice.
Inspiration for me is the simple things that surround me. I meticulously recreate my universes from tiny bits, scraps, fragments of the past and present, carefully piecing together each element to form a new identity, to save my identity, to start a dialogue with the audience, to show how different, deep and playful the familiar world around can be.