We warmly welcome you to the opening of Olena Lakhai’s exhibition DIARY: Between Loss and Light Tuesday 11 November at 17:00 at Osasto5 Gallery at Lapinlahden Lähde.

Lakhai’s exhibition is her first in Finland after becoming an Artists at Risk (AR) Safe Haven Helsinki resident in August 2025.

In “DIARY: Between Loss and Light”, Ukrainian artist Olena Lakhai invites us into a deeply personal visual journey shaped by her experiences as a Ukrainian artist recently relocated to Helsinki. The exhibition is divided into two main subjects: self-portraits and family portraits, and a series of oil and watercolor landscapes inspired by her perception and appreciation of Finnish nature.

Lakhai’s art relates to the weight of displacement and loss––the ache of separation, the uncertainty of exile, and the persistent longing for peace. Yet, rather than dwell in the darkness, her work radiates a profound tenderness and expressive colourfulness. The vivid hues and textures speak of connection and survival, revealing the power of solidarity when everything else falls apart.

The exhibition stands as both testimony and tribute: a celebration of family’s quiet heroism, the mysterious magnificence of nature, and the unyielding human spirit that continues to create beauty in the midst of uncertainty.

Artist Bio
For over 15 years, Olena Lakhai (1989, Ukraine) has been nurturing young creativity in her art studio in Dnipro––working both as an artist and an art teacher. Passionate about painting in all its forms, she creates her own vibrant works from canvas work to large-scale wall murals.
A graduate of Kherson State University and Berdyansk State Pedagogical University, she is currently working on a project that blends her Ukrainian roots with fresh perspectives. She is a proud wife and mother to Matvii and Tykhon, her biggest source of inspiration and support.
Olena Lakhai is an Artists at Risk (AR) Safe Haven Helsinki Alumna, organised and curated by Perpetuum Mobile (PM) ry.