Ukraine, 1990
Ellaya Yefymova (b. 1990, Ukraine) is a physician-turned-artist based in Lisbon, whose work explores the themes of mortality, resilience, and the conscious experience of life.
Her artistic journey began in 2020, sparked by the global lockdown and maternity leave, which led her to reassess her goals and finally pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an artist.
Following the outbreak of war in 2022, Ellaya relocated to Lisbon, Portugal, where she took part in charity exhibitions in support of Ukraine. In 2023, after experiencing clinical depression, her work began to explore theme of Memento Vivere (rethinking mortality as a driving force for conscious living).
Ellaya's art is deeply influenced by vanitas and existentialism. Ellaya believes it is time for humanity to cease wasting lives and resources on wars and instead focus on technological, emotional, and personal evolution - to finally become a better version of humans - "humans 2.0." As Irvin D. Yalom wrote "though the physicality of death destroys us, the idea of death may save us".
Ellaya was nominated for the Portal11 Art Prize (Ukraine, 2020) and the Art Gemini Prize (UK, 2021), and participated in the London Art Biennale in 2023. Her work has been exhibited in Ukraine, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, Mexico, Germany and the United Kingdom, including multiple charity exhibitions in support of Ukraine. In 2025-26 she was a part of 2 international art projects - “Echoes of Unity” (co-funded by Creative Europe) and “Tzompantli”.
Education
2004 – Art School №3, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine
2010 – Kruchinina Interregional Academy, Faculty of Design
2013 – Bogomolets National Medical University (Kyiv), General Medicine
2021 – School of Contemporary Art, Artist Programme, Kyiv, Ukraine
2023 – Mentorship by Henrik Uldalen
2025 - Mentorship by Andrew Cadima