Diana Bilichenko is an artist, textile designer, and researcher who utilizes her trademark bioart technique, using wheat roots to create unique art objects. Having grown up watching her parents farm for over 20 years, Diana was immersed in the cycle of wheat — from preparation and sowing to the final harvest. This lifelong observation inspired her research during her studies at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, where she conceived the idea of using wheat roots as a textile material, recognizing that it is essentially the same natural fiber as flax or hemp. Beyond its’ physical properties, wheat serves as a profound symbol of Ukraine, representing bread in both the literal and figurative sense.
Central to Diana’s work is the concept of the Rhizome. In biology, a rhizome is a specific root form without a clearly defined central underground stem; in postmodern philosophy, as formulated by Deleuze and Guattari, it represents a radical alternative to closed, static, and linear structures. For Diana, this principle illustrates the phenomenon of modern Ukrainian society—a structure capable of instant self-organization and effective action without a rigid, central authority. By working with these non-linear root systems, she explores a new form of social organization that is both ancient and cutting-edge, reflecting a collective integrity that develops through horizontal connection rather than vertical command.
Her technical journey began with her Bachelor’s project, Shadows of Chernobyl, heavily inspired by the nuclear accident. While pursuing her Master’s degree, Diana refined her methodology, developing ways to remove soil from the finished pieces and seamlessly combine the roots with traditional textiles. These advancements culminated in her graduate work, Forgotten Connection, a project dedicated to the sacred symbolism of Ukrainian folk costumes. A pivotal moment in her portfolio was the collaboration with Kyivan historian Sergiy Myronov aka Vanishing Kyiv exhibition. For this project, Myronov provided authentic exterior tiles from decades ago, which Diana intertwined with the living medium of roots to preserve the city’s fading architectural memory.
“My goal is to preserve the memory of our culture and the people who created it,” Diana explains. “I want to tell the story of Ukraine through wheat—a symbol of a land fertile with both grain and creative spirits. My work demonstrates that the environmental component of our lives can be more than just practical; it can be deeply beautiful. I create these objects using no chemicals or pesticides—only water, sun, seeds, and time. Because nature itself dictates the growth, every piece of artwork is as unique as a fingerprint.”
Education:
- 2009-2015 Art school in Ukraine (academic painting and drawing)
- 2016-2022 Academy of Fine Art and Design in Bratislava (textile)
- 2019-2022 Additional pedagogical education in Academy of Fine Art and Design
Exhibitions:
- 2019 3T (Galerie N, Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic)
- 2019 Textil v priestore (Nové Zámky, Slovakia)
- 2020-2022 TALENTE (Munich, Germany)
- 2021 Textile art of today (Bratislava, Poprad, Budapest)
- 2022 Medium textile (Bratislava, Slovakia)
- 2022 Zakoreňovanie (Banska Bystrica, Slovakia)
- 2022 Colours of textile (Kysucká galéria, Oščadnica, Slovakia)
- 2022 Matières (Paris, France)
- 2022 Myslieť globálne, tvoriť lokálne (Bratislava, Slovakia)
- 2022 Miniatúra BUBLINA / BUBBLES (Bratislava, Slovakia)
- 2022 Ars contra arma (Piešťany, Slovakia)
- 2023 DNA Ucraino (Venice, Italy)
- 2023 Revelations (Paris, France)
- 2023 Fiber Art Space (Nové Město, Czech Republic)
- 2023 Kyiv Design Week (Zurich, Switzerland)
- 2024 Kyiv Design Week (Kyiv, Ukraine)
- 2024 Paris Design Week (Paris, France)
- 2024 Koreňe (Bratislava, Slovakia)
- 2025 Хліб (Kyiv, Ukraine)
- 2026 Ukrainian Neo-Folklore (Paris, France)
- 2026 Venice International Art Fair 24th (Venice, Italy)
- 2026 6th International Textile and Fibre Art Biennial “Scythia” (Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine)
Publications & Media:
- 2023 Prima Interior
- 2024 Koncept 05 Magazine
- 2026 Art and Woman Edition 3
Expert Engagement:
- 2025 Juror for the International Graphic Arts Contest “Graphic Metamorphoses”
- 2025/2026 International Solidarity Project Coordinator, “A Flower for Ukraine” (Supporting Ukrainian Children)