Lilia Chak

Lilia Chak (Hebrew: ליליה צ'ק) is an Israeli artist, designer, and BioArt researcher. She works mainly in installation, science and media art. Her work employs various media, including video, photography, the Web, bio-technology, AI, digital technology, and performance.
==Biography==
Lilia Chak was born in Saint Petersburg in 1966, and from 1990 she lives in Jerusalem. In 2022, she defended her PhD thesis within the Art & Science Department at Sorbonne University in Paris. Her scientific and artistic pursuits are characterized by a commitment to interdisciplinary research and bridging the gap between art and science. 
An innovative approach to the art of Lilia Chak has earned her international recognition. In 2009, her "Ferror" exhibition led to her nomination for the Prix Tartuffe. Subsequently, in 2010, she secured the first prize in an art competition (from among 18,000 entries) organized by Cellcom company in Israel. 
The result of Lilia Chak's academic research at the Sorbonne was the publication of a book titled "Contemporary Practices in Bio-art: When a Tree Becomes an Artwork", published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2023. The book delves into the complex interactions between artists and plants, exploring the revival of extinct plant species and various aspects of environmental conservation. Her research reveals the potential of new biological technologies as a new artistic medium. Lilia Chak is the author of the new term "Dendro-art" (a new direction of BioArt), which has entered the international lexicon. 
Lilia Chak actively participates in the Sorbonne's EDEN project, an artistic and scientific initiative aimed at utilizing innovative technologies and unconventional thinking to address ecological challenges and create a contemporary Garden of Eden. Her involvement in exhibitions such as Museo Orto botanico di Roma in Rome, Ars Electronica in Linz, BOZAR in Brussels, Matsudo International Science Art Festival in Tokyo, Negev Museum of Art in Beer-Sheva, and numerous others has showcased her work on a global stage. Her works have also been mentioned in scientific articles and lectures on Contemporary art.
She is a member of the UNESCO Association of Artists, Tel Aviv branch. Contribution by Lilia Chak to the intersection of art, science, and ecology continue to shape the discourse in the field and inspire those who encounter her work.
==Main exhibitions==
* "Our Bio-Tech Planet". The exhibition organised by Art & Science Node Berlin. Museo Orto Botanico, Rome, Italy 2022. Curators: Prof. Joanna Hofmann, Dr. Juliet Wallace, Dr. Lara Bruno, 2022.
* "EDEN". The exhibition in collaboration with Prof. Olga Kisseleva. Ars Electronica, Linz, Austria, 2020.
* "Speculating on the Future through Art and Science". The exhibition in collaboration with Prof. Olga Kisseleva. BOZAR, Brussels, Belgium, 2020.
* "Wonderful World". The exhibition in collaboration with Prof. Olga Kisseleva. FEFU Art Museum, Vladivostok, Russia, 2020. Curator: Julia Klimko.
* "Listening to Trees across the Jordan River". Prof. Olga Kisseleva`s solo exhibition. Lilia Chak participated in the exhibition in her video installations and photographs in frame of her PhD research in Sorbonne. Negev Museum of Art, Beer-Sheva, Israel, 2019. Curator: Dr. Dalia Manor.
* "Cassette". Shanxi University Art Center, Taiyuan, China, 2019. Curator: Elena Chumina.
* "Sky". Shanxi University Art Center, Taiyuan, China, 2019. Curator: Elena Chumina.
* "Bridges". Shanxi University Art Center, Taiyuan, China, 2019. Curator: Elena Chumina.
* "Basel Selection Artfair". Gallery G-77, Basel, Switzerland, 2011. Curator: Andrei Mikhailov.
* "Art Chicago With NEXT". Gallery G-77, Chicago, USA, 2011. Curator: Andrei Mikhailov.
* "FERROR". The solo exhibition in collaboration with Galina Bleikh. Journalist's Center Beit Sokolov, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2009. Curator: Svietka Rivilis.
* "Eternity of Moments". Ephrat gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2009. Curator: Tzipi Ephrat.
* "ART-TLV biennale". Artura gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2009. Curator: Doron Polak.
* "1000sq Meter Free-Style". The Museum for Digital art, Holon, Israel, 2009. Curator: Meir Tati.
* "Identity Card". Ein Hod Central Gallery, Israel, 2008. Curator: Nomi Hoss.
* "Israeli Portrait". Erlich gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2008. Curator: Sarah Erlich.
* "Ancient Future Taste". Performance on the solo exhibition. Agrippas 8 Gallery, Jerusalem, Israel, 2008. Curator: Galina Bleikh.
* "To Each Olive – the Name". Solo exhibition, Agrippas 8 Gallery, Jerusalem, Israel, 2008. Curator: Galina Bleikh.
==Conferences & Symposiums==
* MANOFIM, “Art, Biology and Ecology”. International conference with MindLab - Jens Hauser, Dar Moussafir, Carmel Barnea Brezner Jonas, Jonatan Omer Mizrahi, Tzaphira Allison Stern, Ivor Stodolsky, Marina Naprushkina, Dmitry Vilensky..., organized by Jerusalem Contemporary Art Festival, Jerusalem, Israel, 2022. 
* EDEN, “Dendro-art – classification of projects”. Workshop, with Prof. Olga Kisseleva…, organized by Sorbonne in collaboration with ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2022.
* The Human to Come, “Listening To Trees Across The Jordan River”. International symposium with Veronique Auberge (CNRS/INSHS), Charles Corval (Sciences Po Paris), Julien De Sanctis (Spoon.ai), Gabriel Dorthe (Universite Catholique de Lille), David Doat (Universite Catholique de Lille), Pierre Antoine Chardel (EHESS), Olga Kisseleva (Paris I), Emeline Gougeon (Paris I), Armen Khatchatourov (Universite Paris Est Marne la Vallee), Anne Simon (CRAL/EHESS), Stephane Breton (CRAL/EHESS), Teresa van Dongen (artist), Korneel Rabaey (Professor, University of Ghent), Mario Cote (UQAM), Veronique Beland (artist), Didier Coueurnelle (Association Française Transhumaniste), Terence Ericson (Association Française Transhumaniste), Elisabeth de Castex (Sciences Po Paris), Dominique Raynie (Sciences Po Paris), Olivier Perriquet (Le Fresnoy - Studio national), Ismael Joffroy Chandoutis (artist), Gregory Chatonsky (artist, ENS Paris), AnneMarie Maes (artist), Joseph Cohen (University College Dublin), Raphael Zagury-Orly (Sciences Po Paris), Nicolas de Warren (Penn State University), Bernard Stiegler, Alain Fleischer…, organized by Le Fresnoy - Studio national des arts contemporains in collaboration with CNRS. Joining the Arts and Technologies in Order to Stimulate a new Understanding of the Human (in a renewed dialogue with nature. Reflections on Eden Artech), 2020.
* Art and Biology: The Meeting Point, “The Sorbonne Art & Science Laboratory as a leader of Dendro-art”. International symposium with Prof. Olga Kisseleva, Dr. Aya Lurie, Dr. Elaine Solowey, Dr. Dalia Manor, Prof. Ariel Novoplansky, Prof. Ilia Rodov, Dr. Sue Frumin…, Negev Museum of Art, Beer-Sheva, Israel, 2019.
* Ethical Durable Ecology Nature, “The Scents of the Ancient World - a Different Reality?”. International symposium with Olga Kisseleva, Sabrina Issa, Kun Tang, Ingrid Paola Amaro, Nicolas Bralet, François-David Collin…, Château et parc culturel de Rentilly – Frac Ile-de France, Paris, France, 2016.
==Bibliography==
* Dr. Isabelle Lemelin, "Figures de terroristes = figures terroristes? Le cas de Hanadi Jaradat dans les oeuvres de Feiler & Sköld-Feiler et de Bleikh & Chak", article for journal Post-Scriptum, No. 29. Université Concordia et UQAM, Montreal, Canada, 2020.
* Dr. Verena Straub, "Digitale Postproduktionen. Die Zirkulation von Bildern palästinensischer Selbstmordattentäterinnen im Internet", article for book: "Nähe auf Distanz. Eigendynamik und mobilisierende Kraft politischer Bilder im Internet". Hrsg. von Isabelle Busch, Uwe Fleckner & Judith Waldmann, 2020.
* Prof. Ilia Rodov, "Concluding Remarks: Contemplations in the Desert on Nature, Creation, and Art", article. Negev Museum of Art, Beer-Sheva, Israel, 2019.
* Dr. Silke Felber, "We and Elfriede Jelinek are on the same morphological plane", article for platform`s book album. University of Vienna, Austria, 2015.
* Dr. Nancy Hartevelt Kobrin, "The Maternal Drama of the Chechen Jihadi", book 258 pages, ISBN-10: ‎1885881134, ISBN-13: ‎978-1885881137, 2014.
* Dr. Alek D. Epstein, "Art on the Barricades", article. Artguide, 2012.
Category:1966 births
Category:People from Saint Petersburg
Category:Israeli people
Category:Artists
Category:Designers
Category:Researchers