Desia Ava (b. 1991) is a Bulgarian-born visual artist based in Stockholm.
Working across sculpture, installation, and photography, Desia explores the element of scale, of the micro worlds and the way they are connected to the universal. Her practice navigates the intersection of art, science, and technology, questioning existing ecosystems and translating natural environments and specimens into artistic contexts. The artist often engages with alchemical processes — transforming environmental phenomena into art objects that oscillate between the physical and immaterial, the tangible and ephemeral. Desia’s material palette includes raw elements such as wood, metal, glass and stone, as well as “invisible” and “non-solid” components like water, sound, and mist. Оrganic substances — such as sugar and jelly — are used in her installation works to emphasize transformation and temporality.
For enquires: desia.ava@gmail.com
EXHIBITIONS (selected)
Solo shows
2024 Water on Mars, Planetarium Smolyan, Bulgaria
2024 No Two Alike-Melanders Dalagatan, Stockholm, Sweden
2022 INTANGIBLE - Una boccata d’arte / Galleria Continua. Fumone, Italy
2021 Water on Mars - Limestone quarry, Bulgaria.
2020 New Rituals - Konstfack degree project. Stockholm, Sweden
2020 New Rituals - Online exhibition Don’t Try This at Home, Antilia Gallery.
2019 Objects for Contemplation: Water rituals and exercises on being imperfect. Konstfack, Stockhokm, Sweden.
EDUCATION
Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm (2023)
Post-master in Fine Art
The Gram Ounce, Food & Art Alternative M.A. (2024)
Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design, Sweden (2020)
Master of Fine Arts in Spatial design
London Metropolitan University Sir John CASS Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design (2016)
Master of Arts in Product Design
Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio, Università della Svizzera Italiana / ARCHIP (2014)
Bachelor in Architecture
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2024 Selected artist for Liljevalchs Vårsalongen 2024. Spring Salon 2024
2023 Finalist Design Parade Hyères Villa Noailles
2022 Creative grant. National Cultural Fund
2022 Selected artist for Lazio region for Una Boccata d'arte 2022; Fondazione Elpis / Galleria Continua
2021 Creative grant. National Cultural Fund
2020 Creative grant. National Cultural Fund
2017 Selected for a trial at Fabrica di Benetton Reserach Center, Treviso, Italy
PUBLICATIONS
"Don't Get a Job…Make a Job New Edition: Inventive career models for next-gen creatives", Gem Barton, 2023-Laurence King Publishing; Sept. 2023
"Materialities; energies", 2023-Royal Institute of Art.
“Una Boccata d’arte 2022”, 2022-Fondazione Elpis/Galleria Continua
"Don’t Try This At Home” 2021, Antilia Gallery
“Landscapes of Consumption”, 2019, Konstfack University press
Group Shows
2024 Liljevalchs Vårsalongen 2024. Spring Salon 9 Feb-21 April 2024
2023 ID:I Galleri, Materialities, Stockholm.
2023 Stockholm Art Week, På Segels Torg
2023 Stockholm Art Week Spökparken, Lusthuset
2022 Chealsea NYC, Galerie Philia.
2021 Transhumances, Chateau de Barjac, Galerie Philia, France.
2020 Atelier Sophie Cauvin, Galerie Philia, Bruxelles, Belgium.
2019 Young designers: Collectible Bruxelles, Belgium
2018 Walking on sugar: Performance, Konstfack Research Week, Stockholm, Sweden.
2017 Design Monat Graz: Selected, Creative Industries Styria, Museum of Natural History, Graz
RESIDENCIES