Biography

Agafia’s

Born in Leningrad, 1988, Agafia Polynchuk has been creating mixed media dolls for more than 25 years.

Having studied at the Y.A. Galperin Photography Department at the St. Petersburg Union of Journalists, Agafia began her career as a professional photographer in 2010, combining her interests in photography and the decorative arts.

Her unique dolls, theatrically staged, reflect her in interests in existential matters related to psychology, mysticism, and the absurd.

The dolls are made of distinctive materials and can be found in both private and public collections worldwide, including the US, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, China, Russia, Japan, Australia, and the UK.

Agafia lives and works in Berlin.

I create collectible art dolls in mixed media, exploring themes of psychological defense mechanisms, existential human needs, childhood and adulthood challenges.

My work combines motifs of play, psychologism, and storytelling, and weaves in elements of the absurd, and the grotesque.

Inspired by Jan Švankmajer and the poetry of Edward Lear, my work strives toward a surreal mixture of German fairy tales, folklore, circus spectacle, and comic playfulness. My projects' focuses mainly on the circus, fun, sweets, and mischief. The dolls I create are intentionally not perfect — they’re asymmetrical and don’t aim for conventional beauty. This imperfection is meant to show that reality can be tricky, magical, and a bit scary, with hidden messages and secrets. I use simple materials and bright colors to make the dolls look cute and naive. But there’s more to them than meets the eye, and at times they carry secrets that may surprise adults.

My main media are cotton, vintage decorative details, and found objects.I frequently turn my dolls into characters for different scenes, capturing them on Polaroid. Even though my dolls aren’t meant for playing, the theme of play is essential in my projects because the doll is a way of understanding oneself.

Artist statement

Exhibitions

dolls

polaroids

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2025 Ethereal Visions, Seance Art Gallery, Aroeira, Portugal (online show)
2025 Big Top Menagerie, Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2025 Enchanted Fables, Curio Art Gallery, Aroeira, Portugal (online show)
2025 BAAM 9, Monopol, Berlin, Germany
2025 Yellow Brick Road, Poetic Tiger Gallery, Boise, ID, USA
2025 Toymakers of Planet Earth, Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2025 Art Market #2, NOTAGALLERY, Berlin, Germany2025 The 2025 Spotlight Showcase, Arch Enemy Arts, Philadelphia, PA, USA
2025 Studio Ghibli Art Show,Curio Art Gallery, Aroeira, Portugal
2024 Bewitching 14, Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2024 Memoir, Curio Art Gallery, Aroeira, Portugal (online show)
2024 Animal Spirits and Lonely Hearts,Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2024 BAAM 7,Monopol, Berlin, Germany
2024 Toymakers of Planet Earth, Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2024 Mass Hysteria! Cats and Dogs Living Together!, Clutter Gallery, Beacon, NY, USA
2023 Bewitching XIII, Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2023 Candy Carnival, Brewery ' De Halve Maan, Brugge, Belgium
2023 Ever After: Dark tale classics, Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2023 Blythecon Play&Party Prague Edition, Prague, Czech Republic
2023 Pie Hole, Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2022 WONDERLAND OF PLAY 2022, Brugge, Belgium
2022 Dreams of Wonderland, Stranger Factory Gallery, Algodones, NM, USA
2022 Toymakers of Planet Earth V, Stranger Factory Gallery , Algodones, NM, USA
2022 Animal Spirits and Lonely Hearts, Stranger Factory Gallery , Algodones, NM, USA
2022 Bewitching XII, Stranger Factory Gallery , Algodones, NM, USA
2022 Winter Salon XII, Stranger Factory Gallery , Algodones, NM, USA
2021 Toymakers of Planet Earth IV, Stranger Factory Gallery , Algodones, NM, USA
2021 Exchanging Eyes, Stranger Factory Gallery , Algodones, NM, USA
2021 Bewitching XI, Stranger Factory Gallery , Algodones, NM, USA

2019 Paris Photo Off, InstantArtParis, Galerie Joseph Turenne, Paris, France
2018 Paris Photo Off, InstantArtParis, Galerie Joseph Turenne, Paris, France
2018 Polaroid Festival 2018, Espace BEAUREPAIRE, Paris, France
2018 Still Life: Elevating the Mundane, photo place gallery (online gallery)
2017 Expolaroid - Polaroid is not dead #2, Rennes, France.
2016 Berlin Foto Biennale & The 4th Biennale of Fine Art and Documentary Photography, Palazzo Italia, Berlin, Germany
2015 Taiwan Photo Fair, 1839 Contemporary Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2014 Taiwan Photo Fair, 1839 Contemporary Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2014 Selfie, Gallery Zahradník, Prague, Czech Republic
2014 Expolaroid Cinéma des Templiers, Montélimar, France
2014 Photographic Arts, Gallery Revival, Moneygall, Ireland
2014 12.12 Project, Galerie EN FACE, Paris, France
2014 12.12 Project, Sofortbild-Shop Berlin, Berlin, Germany
2013 Les petits Polas, Galerie EN FACE, Paris, France
2013 What we do in secret, Galerie EN FACE, Paris, France
2013 Alter Ego, The Kiernan Gallery, Lexington, Virginia, USA
2012 Polaroid Easy Art, Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia
Leonardo da Vinci, Milano, Italy
2011 Polaroid : Easy art?, MUZEAAV, Nice, France
2011 Bonjour, Galerie EN FACE, Paris, France

publicationS

Other
2021 Juror for Polaroid Competition, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2016 7.Julia Margaret Cameron Award – Runner Up in Category 'Self Portrait'

Books & Art Editions:
2023 Spechtaltar, Galerie Vevais, Vevais, Germany
2018 Series of Dreams, ISBN 978-0-9997553-0-3, Russell Joslin, Skeleton Key Press, Norway
2016 Raw Beauties - ISBN 978-3-936165-50-0, Galerie Vevais, Vevais, Germany
2016 Emotions & Commotions Across Cultures, Berlin Foto Biennale 2016, ISBN 978-3 86828-742-4, Kehrer Verlag, Germany
2015 Agafia Polynchuk POLAROID, ISBN 978-3-936165-25-8, edition Galerie Vevais, Bliesdorf, Germany
2015 The AGAFIA Box, Galerie Vevais, Vevais, Germany
2014 POLAROIDS, edition Galerie Vevais, Vevais, Germany

Publications:
2020 PHOTODARIUM, Seltmann Söhne, Berlin, Germany
2019 PHOTODARIUM Private, Seltmann Söhne, Berlin, Germany
2019 PHOTODARIUM, Seltmann Söhne, Berlin, Germany
2018 OnR LeMag #4, Opera National du Rhin, Strasbourg,France
2018 Seities - Juror Portfolio, Seities #9 , Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2018 BROCHURE DE SAISON. 2018/2019, OPÉRA NATIONAL DE PARIS, (p.52-53), Paris, France
2016 IOLANTA /CASSE-NOISETTE PROGRAMME Palais Garnier ,Paris, France
2016 BROCHURE DE SAISON. 2016/2017 Opera National de Paris, Paris, France
2016 Berlin Foto Biennale & The 4th Biennale of Fine Art and Documentary Photography 2016 Palazzo Italia, Berlin, Germany
2015 Taiwan Photo Fair, 1839 Contemporary Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2014 DAS MAGAZIN, Berlin, Germany
2014 John Rule Autumn 2014 ( cover+p. 10), London, UK
2014 FOTOFEVER, PHOTOGRAPHY ART FAIR: LE RENDEZ-VOUS D’UNE AUTRE SCENE PHOTOGRAPHIQUE (p.9),Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
2014 Taiwan Photo Fair, 1839 Contemporary Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2014 Ein Projekt geht um die Welt, Kwerfeldein, Bonn, Germany
2013 SHOTS magazine no. 122, Portfolio Issue, USA
2013 ''Alter Ego'',(co ver + p. 12-13) The Kiernan Gallery, Lexington, VA, USA
2013 Plateform magazine issue 60, South Korea
2013 calendar POLADARIUM 2014, seltmann+söhne, Germany
2012 12.12 Project, Tennessee, USA
2012 The 12.12 Project, www.actuphoto.com, France
2012 calendar POLADARIUM 2013, seltmann+söhne, Germany
2011 SHOTS magazine no.113, Self Portraits, USA

Interview:
2025 Visual Art Journal #29, the Netherlands
2018 Series of Dreams: 17/68 , (p.181) ed.Russell Joslin, Skeleton Key Press, Norway
2018 Seities - Juror Portfolio, Seities #9 , Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2014 Kwerfeldein, Agascha träumt von Blumen von Marit Beer, Bonn, Germany
2014 ‘Impossible’ Interview With Agafia Polynchuk, TheAppWhisperer, London, UK
2013 Shots Magazine No. 122, Annual Portfolio Issue, Minneapolis, MN, USA