We sat down with artist Yulia Pinkusevich to talk about her work Casualty Isorithm (2018), which was featured in The de Young Open in 2020 and acquired for our collection. Here, she shares how she became an artist, the work’s Cold War inspiration, her advice for aspiring artists, and more.
Megan Bates: Can you tell us a little bit about your path to becoming a professional artist?
Yulia Pinkusevich: In junior high and high school, I took Saturday classes in New York City at Parsons School of Design, the New School, Cooper Union, local art colleges in my area. I had a really fantastic high school art teacher who I feel deserves a shout-out: Her name is Joan Ditieri Brande. We’re still in touch. She’s still making art and living in NYC.
When I learned that you can major in fine art, I thought, Wow, what do you mean? I could just make the art that I want to make, and this could be my pursuit and my passion in life.
By Megan Bates, digital media producer, in conversation with artist Yulia Pinkusevich
