SHHS Alumni Life - Ania Gareeva

Ania was born and spent her childhood in Russia and has enriched her life and artwork through the infusion of her Russian heritage. In 2014, Russian Speakers Australia, a website dedicated to the Russian-speaking community of Australia, promoted an exhibition of Ania’s artwork at a gallery named ‘The Tate’ in Glebe, Sydney entitled 'Merry Carousel (THE BLITHE CAROUSEL)'.

“During the honours year I decided that I wanted to try and get into Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai) on exchange, for Masters of Fine Art. I managed to get First Class Honours and the APA scholarship, and into Geidai, so I spent 9 months living in Japan, from the end of 2015 to mid-2016. I took the rest of 2016 off to travel, and came back to Australia at the start of 2017.

I had a break from art in 2018, but am now studying a new creative degree, Master of Animation and Visualisation at Animal Logic Academy, UTS. The reason I decided to apply for this course is because University of Sydney has unfortunately completely changed SCA, the art school that I’ve been at for so many years. I’ve always loved animation and experimented in 2D animation during honours. Learning 3D animation this year has been really difficult, but I love it, it has been incredible learning a completely different way to express myself creatively. “

Ania has found employment in the art world in many capacities. She has been part of many group exhibitions and engaged in the Sydney Art competition scene with a string of successes.

“In 2012 I did a huge mural, hand painted for Leichhardt council, on a wall at the Leichhardt Pool and Aquatic Centre.

I have also been working as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator for many years. One of the projects that I was employed for is https://www.myndmap.co/ where I was the lead illustrator and art designer.”

Ania is a passionate, committed and professional artist. With her mind set, we are bound to see and hear more of her within the art world in the future.

“Art, isn’t something I do for myself specifically, or specifically for uni, or for work, it is my life. To me, everything is art, it surrounds me and my life at all times.”

She has developed a wide repertoire of media in her artistic practice, each expertly used to express her ideas and can be seen at her website https://www.ania.su -

Ink illustration, coloured pencil drawing, watercolour painting, acrylic painting, charcoal drawing, digital painting, fine art posters, 2D digital animation, silkscreen printing - CMYK and block printing, lithography - stone and plate, etching, Mokuhanga - traditional Japanese woodblock printing, wall mural painting, installations, tapestries, commercial graphic design and illustration, concept art, CGI - 3D modelling, sculpting, surfacing, texturing, shading, lighting and rendering.

“At the moment I’m working on a studio project at ALA (Animal Logic Academy) which is inspired by alternative sci-fi - like the Soviet sci-fi films of Tarkovsky. I love Solaris, but Stalker is one of the best films I have ever seen. Kin-Dza-Dza is another completely absurd and mostly unknown film that I have loved ever since I was a child. 

Another very important influence, that has been an inspiration to my work since the end of 2014 is the art of Moebius (Jean Giruad).“

Ania’s artwork can be seen best at her website https://www.ania.su although she has a high profile in the ether and within the Sydney art scene. She is making a name for herself in the art world, exhibiting in prestigious galleries such as the Museum of Contemporary Art on Circular Quay. One of her art works, “boy around the world” was shown at the MCA Artbar in 2017, curated by the internationally renowned Australian artist Julie Rrap.

Ania advises current SHHS aspiring artists “not to take your education for granted; give yourself as many options as you can. I tried and studied really hard because I actually enjoyed it, so it’s important to choose subjects that you want to study. Also, I think it’s important to know that you don’t have to know exactly what you want to do after high school. So many people don’t know and it’s fine. If you want to study, then study, apply to uni. If you don’t like your course, then it’s really not that big a deal, I know and have met so many people who studied later in life, or change their degrees or careers. For me, at least, it’s important to do what I love.”

Ania is demonstrating in her practice that an intellectually stimulating, potentially international career can be made that utilizes new technologies as well as traditional art making media. She is at the cutting edge of the art world, using her intelligence to create challenging artworks and objects that enrich our culture.

Sharon Mearing – Visual Arts teacher (retired)