Anastasia Babenko (b.1989), is a Ukrainian visual artist currently based between Seattle and Kyiv. Prior to writing and directing, she worked as a news reporter in Ukraine, Germany, and the U.S. In early 2021, she received funding from UN Women to produce The Diaper Cake, her debut narrative short. Anastasia curated shows and film programs for the Center on Contemporary Art and Northwest Film Forum, both based in Seattle. She was also a part of the Seattle International Film Festival’s 2020 programming team. Her latest fashion videos include collaboration with Ukrainian designer Anton Belinskiy for Paris Fashion Week.
Grants & Awards
2021 –Gallery 110, Second Prize Award at 11th Annual Juried Show, Seattle, WA
2021 – EU 4 Gender Equality Grant Awardee, Kyiv, Ukraine
2020 – FotoFilmic Scholarship Winner, Lucas Foglia Masterclass, Vancouver, BC, Canada
2020 – 4Culture Grant Awardee, Seattle, WA
2020 – Photographic Center Northwest, Honorable Mention at Distinction exhibition, Seattle, WA,
Exhibitions / Screenings
2021 – Gallery 110, 11th Annual Juried Show curated by Shamim Momin, Seattle, WA
2020 – Photographic Center Northwest, Distinction curated by Kris Graves, Seattle, WA
2020 – Hiawatha Art Club, Deep Affection, Seattle, WA
2019 – Lovecitylove, The Farewell Show, Seattle, WA
2019 – Blue Sky Gallery, Pacific Northwest Photography Viewing Drawers, Portland, OR
2019 – Center on Contemporary Art, Motherland curated by Amanda Manitach, Seattle, WA
2018 – AkT gallery, R SINoptik, Kyiv, Ukraine
2017 – 86 Festival of Film and Urbanism, national competition, Slavutych, Ukraine,
2016 – Gogolfest Contemporary Art Festival, short film program, Kyiv, Ukraine
2016 – 86 Festival of Film and Urbanism, MyStreetFilms program, Slavutych, Ukraine
Publications
2021 – Interview for Marie Claire Ukraine (ukr)
2021 – Film guide on Vogue UA (ukr)
2021 – Interview for BESTIN.UA (rus)
2021 – Wonderzine, 8 favorite movies (ukr)
2021 – Zaborona.com, film review (urkr)
2020 – PCNW, Interview (eng)
2020 – Vanguard Seattle (eng)
2020 – Lenscratch (eng)
2019 – Contributor Magazine (eng)
2018 – Ukrayinska Pravda (ukr)
Professional Experience
2020– Gala Producer at Northwest Film Forum, Seattle, WA
2020– Programming Assistant at Seattle International Film Festival
2019 – Programmer at Northwest Film Forum, Seattle, WA
2018 – Curatorial Intern at CoCA (Center on Contemporary Art), Seattle, WA
Education
2010 – 2012 MA in Journalism, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Ukraine
2006 – 2010 BA in Linguistics, Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Ukraine