Maija Bondar (b. 1981, Ukraine) is a photographic artist based in Finland. Born in Ukraine, she moved to Russia with her family as a child and later settled in Finland. Her experience of migration and life in different cultural environments has shaped the foundation of her artistic expression.
Bondar began her formal photography studies in 2020 and is currently studying at the Arts Academy of Turku University of Applied Sciences.
In her work, she explores themes of identity, loss, and the ways people make sense of their place in the world. Using self-portraiture and landscape, she transforms personal experiences into visual narratives that resonate with a broader audience.
Her work has been recognized by international platforms such as CPOY (College Photographer of the Year), Helsinki Photo Festival, and others.
Solo exhibition
2024 We and Others Integration2024, Logomo, Turku, Finland
Group exhibitions
2024 Kymmenes kaiku Köysiratagalleria, Turk, Finland
Jokainen ihminen on pieni maailma Galleria Hoppa, Jyväskylä, Finland
Just women Galerie Joseph Le Palais, Paris
2023 Nordic photography Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre, Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki Photo Festival Sanoma House, Helsinki, Finland
Selected Awards
2023 College Photographer of the Year finalist
Helsinki Photo Festival winner
Kolga Tbilisi Photo shortlist
Publications
Helsingin Sanomat | See: Zeen Magazine | Float Magazine | F-Stop Magazine | Republic Magasin | Iconic Artist Magazine | “Colors of Orthodoxy” book | “Alue 16” book
Grants
2024 Arts Promotion Centre Finland
Finnfoto
Education
2024 — Turku University of Applied Science, Fine Arts (Turku, Finland)
2024 Elina Brotherus Masterclass
2022 — 2024 Academy of Documentary and Art Photography Fotografika (Saint Petersburg, Russia)
2022 — 2023 Practical school Gradia, Media and visual expression Faculty (Jyväskylä, Finland)
1998 — 2004 North-Western State Technical University “Economics and Management at the
Enterprise” (Saint Petersburg, Russia)