VALERIIA POLISHCHUK
Artist Bio
Valeriia Polishchuk is a Ukrainian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker. Raised by a single mother in a small town in Ukraine, she developed an early understanding of independence and the importance of a strong female voice. She began her artistic journey performing on stage at her local art community center and later expanded her perspective through travel, shaping her identity as an observer, a rebel, and a citizen of the world.
Through her work, Valeriia explores the complexity of the human condition while challenging social stereotypes and cultural norms—revealing layers of truth where boldness wins over perfection. Working primarily with photography and film, her visual language blends fashion elements, bold colours, striking patterns, and cinematic framing.
Her character-driven practice often focuses on unconventional personalities, merging metaphorical realms with contemporary realities and inviting viewers to shift familiar perspectives.
Inspired by fearless voices, she draws creative energy from those who unapologetically embrace their true selves.
The Exhibit: The Perfect Wife
The Perfect Wife is a narrative-driven project that examines traditional heterosexual marriage through satire, exposing the cultural expectations placed on women through the nostalgic visual language of mid-century editorials.
Created through an all-female artistic collaboration, the exhibition combines photography, short film, installations, and art performance. Together, these elements construct a dysfunctional domestic environment that encourages viewers to reflect on tradition, identity, and the gender expectations that continue to shape women’s lives.
Through exaggeration and irony, familiar stereotypes of devotion and obedience are pushed to their limits, revealing the social structures that sustain them.
The Perfect Wife does not argue against marriage itself. Instead, it questions the conditions under which it is entered and the silent contracts it often contains. Beneath it lies a simple truth: choice is not universal.
Presented as an immersive experience, the work invites viewers to consider a simple question: if the image has evolved but the structure has not, has anything truly changed?
20% of proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to Act 2, supporting women and children who have fled domestic violence.
