Irina
Irina Chernikova reimagines reality through a practice of deconstruction and reconstruction, dismantling familiar forms to reveal hidden layers and reassembling them into new, thought-provoking narratives. Her interdisciplinary work—spanning photography, physical media like paper and film, and digital experimentation—often serves as social commentary, infused with environmental or science fiction motifs. Whether reflecting the world as it is or inventing entirely new visual landscapes, Irina’s process bridges tradition and innovation. Text and poetry frequently appear in her art, sometimes explicitly and other times as suggestions, inviting viewers to read between the lines and uncover deeper meanings. Her work is a dialogue between the real and the imagined, the literal and the metaphorical, always leaving room for interpretation and mystery.
Irina's work has been exhibited in solo and group shows, as well as festivals worldwide. Beyond her artistic practice, Irina is a passionate educator, having led numerous virtual and in-person workshops. In the San Francisco Bay Area, she founded and nurtured a vibrant community of over 1,000 film photographers through Meetup, organizing photo walks since 2016 and mentoring others to lead their own. Since relocating to France in July 2025, she is exploring the creation of a new community dedicated to photography, continuing her commitment to fostering artistic growth and connection.
Events
Ongoing
2026 Analog Sparks - Best New Talent Gold Winner in Technique/Other for Tethered project.
2026 FotoSlovo Award - Honorable Mention in Old Process Category
Jun 2026 - Current. Lucida Photo Magazine Interview.
Oct 2025 - Current. "Kintsugi" project selected for Oggetto Libro Digital Archive, which aims to showcase the excellence of contemporary Artist's Books and Designer's Books from all over the world. Milan, Italy.
Oct 2023-Now. Invited Artist to Teach 6 Online Workshops on Experimental Digital Art in Blender: 3D Art, Mixed Media, Experimental Animation, Generative Art and Creative Coding. Agora, School of Experimentation, Barcelona, Spain
June, 2022 - Current. Deconstructing Reality Through Analogue Photography: Interview With Irina Chernikova. Published Interview: Lomography Magazine
July, 2020 - Current. Artist Feature at Alter Analog Magazine
June, 2017 - Current. Featured Photographer. Published Interview: Kono Manufaktur, Vienna, Austria
Past
Photography:
Sep 2026 Analog Sparks - Best New Talent Gold Winner in Technique/Other for Tethered project.
Jun 2026. FotoSlovo Award - Honorable Mention in Old Process Category
Jun 2026. Lucida Photo Magazine Interview.
Nov 27, 2025 - Feb 6, 2026. Solo Exhibition of Tethered at The HUB. Carrer de Llull, 105, Sant Martí, 08005 Barcelona, Spain.
2025 Fotoslovo Award. “Tethered” Photography Series was Bronze Medal Finalist in the category “Old Process”, FotoSlovo Magazine.
July 23, 2025 - July 27, 2025. Invited Artist to Teach Workshops in Chemigram Animation and Unity at The Experimental Photography Festival, EXP.25, Barcelona, Spain.
Feb 17, 2025 - Feb 23, 2025. Official Selection for “Lost & Found” Group Exhibition. Dark Peak Photo Festival, Glossop, UK.
Feb 8, 2025 - Feb 9, 2025. Invited Artist to present at “The Art of Experimentation: A Symposium on Alternative Photographic Processes”, organized by Women Alternative Photography Group and Folk House Darkroom, Bristol, UK.
Oct 17, 2024 - Jan 6, 2025. “Traces” selected to be exhibited at Alt-Process Photography Art Show at The Drawing Room SF, 210 Clement St, San Francisco, CA, USA
Dec 8, 2024. Selected Artist for the Analog Forever Fall 2024 Online Exhibition “Portraits: Beyond the Exterior”.
Sep 7-30, 2023. “Faultlines (2023)” Selected for Video Art Installation in Art Show “Dissonance Within the Fog”, 939 Post St, San Francisco, CA, USA
July 19-23, 2023. Invited Artist to Speak at a Conference “Are We Really Going Against the Apparatus”, EXP. 23 International Festival on Experimental Photography, Barcelona, Spain
February 18, 2023 - March 11, 2023. Who We Are. Group Show Featuring Street Photography. 1086 Howard Street, San Francisco, USA
July 20-24, 2022. Selected Artist to Teach Workshops on Experimental 3D Art & Speak at Conference on Mixed Experimental Techniques, EXP. 22 International Festival on Experimental Photography, Barcelona, Spain
Oct 7 - Oct 31, 2021. Artist Selection for Altered State: An Exploration of Photographic Consciousness Art Show, Fleetwood SF, San Francisco, CA, USA
July, 2021. Taught a Workshop on Chemigrams at the EXP. 21 International Festival on Experimental Photography, Barcelona, Spain
July, 2021. Speaker at Two Conferences (1.Cameraless Photography, 2.Photobooks & Projects) at the EXP. 21 International Festival on Experimental Photography, Barcelona, Spain
July, 2021. Selected Artist at Debris, an International Exhibit of Visionary Artists. Contrada Santa Maria Nuova, 6, Ostra Vetere (AN), Italy
October 19, 2020 - November 6, 2020. Artist Selection for “The Alchemical Image”, Purdue Galleries, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
October, 2020. Artist Selection at Experimental Polaroid Month Online Exhibition, Barcelona, Spain
September, 2020. Artist Selection at Venezuela Visionaria Exhibition, Italy and Venezuela Collaborated Art Show
July, 2020. Artist Feature at Alter Analog Magazine
January, 2020. Guest Artist and Speaker at the EXP. 20 International Festival on Experimental Photography, Barcelona, Spain
May, 2019 - May 2020. Artist Representation at Take Instant Gallery, Limoges, France
November, 2019. Leoni Art Show - Group photography, International Exhibit of Visionary Art, Genoa, Italy
October, 2019. Official Selection: Fall Show 2019, Neomodern Art Studio, San Francisco, CA, USA
January, 2019 - December, 2020. Artist Representation at Five 3 Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, USA
May, 2019. In The North - Group film photography exhibit featuring black & white handmade silver gelatin prints, Pas Normal Studios, San Francisco, CA, USA
September - December, 2017. Urban Visions Art Show - Group photography exhibit featuring urban multi-exposures series. Foothill College, Los Altos, CA, USA
January - May, 2017. Bay Area Flickr Show - Group photography exhibit featuring urban multi-exposures series. Foothill College, Los Altos, CA, USA
Cinema:
Nov 15, 2025. “The Department” (2024). Official Selection - San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival, San Francisco, USA.
October 31, 2024. “Ompuromo” (2023). Official Selection - Best Animation Film, Chico Independent Film Festival, Chico, CA, USA
October 4-6, 2024. “Ompuromo” (2023). Official Selection - Experimental Short Under 15 Minutes, Chico Independent Film Festival, Cornwall, England, UK
July, 2024. “Faultlines” (2023). Quarter-Finalist, WideScreen Film & Music Video Festival, Toronto, Canada
June 29-30, 2024. “Ompuromo” (2023). Official Selection, Art All Night - Trenton Film Festival, Trenton, NJ, USA
January, 2024. “Faultlines” (2023). Finalist, Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival, Athens, Greece
January, 2024. “Ompuromo” (2023). Honorable Mention, Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival, Athens, Greece
January, 2023. “Odradek” (2019). Honorable Mention, Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival, Athens, Greece
December, 2022 - December 19, 2022. "Odradek" - On Line Screening. Official Selection for Lift-Off Sessions Film Festival, Pinewood Studios, UK
June, 2019 - “Odradek” & Untitled (2019) experimental films, Official Selection, 20 Years of Open Screening, ATA, Screened at Artists Television Access, San Francisco, CA, USA
November, 2018 - “Space” (2018) experimental film, Official Selection, Festival of the Moving Image, Screened at Roxie Theater, San Francisco, CA, USA
May, 2018 - “Nowhere, Yet Close” (2017) experimental film, Official Selection, Festival of the Moving Image, Screening & Q&A at Diego Rivera Theater, San Francisco, CA, USA
May, 2017 - “Mussel Rock: History and Memory” (2016) documentary film, Official Selection, Festival of the Moving Image, Screened at Roxie Theater, San Francisco, CA, USA
May, 2017 - “Everything Again” (2016) experimental film, Official Selection, Festival of the Moving Image, Screened at Roxie Theater, San Francisco, CA, USA
May, 2016 - “Catsistential Crisis” (2015) experimental film, Best Cinematography Award, 16th Annual City Shorts Student Film Festival, Screened at Roxie Theater, San Francisco, CA, USA