Jana Romanova
Jana Romanova is a multidisciplinary artist based in The Hague, Netherlands. She began her career as a photojournalist, a foundation that significantly influenced her subsequent artistic practice. Jana holds a BA in Journalism from Saint-Petersburg State University (2001-2006) and earned an MA in Photography and Society from the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague in 2021. As a guest lecturer, she conducts workshops on playful approaches at esteemed institutions such as The Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
Jana's work is deeply inspired by misunderstandings. Through performance, play practices, photography, and video, she explores the gaps between what we say and what we do. These breaches in communication are viewed as opportunities for connection, fostering a shared space of understanding and togetherness. Her recent projects emphasize the potential of games, play, and playfulness to create meaningful connections. By designing and facilitating live-action role plays (LARPs) and games in physical spaces, she seamlessly blends art with interaction.
Her exhibitions include "Water Portraits" at Museum Hilversum, Netherlands (2024), the Prospects show by Mondriaan Foundation at Art Rotterdam, Netherlands (2024), and See Lab in The Hague, Netherlands (2023). She also participated in PAN Amsterdam as part of the MIAP Foundation exhibition (2022). Additionally, her work "I Don’t Think I’ll Stay Here Long" was featured at Nest Den Haag as part of "The Grand Palace of Everyone" in 2023.
Jana has been the recipient of several prestigious grants, including the Stroom Den Haag PRO Invest grant (2024), the Mondriaan Artist Start grant (2023, 2022), and the MIAP Foundation grant (2021). She also participated in the renowned Joop Swart Masterclass by World Press Photo (2016).
Her work has garnered attention from prominent publications, including Foam (The Netherlands), Der Spiegel (Germany), British Journal of Photography (UK), GUP (The Netherlands), National Geographic (USA), Russian Reporter (Russia), PDN Magazine (USA), Independent (UK), and Lens Culture.
EDUCATION
2021 MA in Photography and Society, Royal Academy of Art (KABK), The Hague, NL
2006 BFA in Journalism, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, RU
AWARDS
2024 Stroom Den Haag PRO Invest grant, NL
2023 Mondriaan Artist Start, Extension of Support, NL
2022 Stroom Den Haag Kunstproject grant, NL
2022 Mondriaan Artist Start grant, NL
2021 MIAP Foundation grant, NL
2016 Joop Swart Masterclass, World Press Photo, NL
2015 European Prospects grant, Ffotogallery, Cardiff, UK
2015 Shortlisted for Les Recontres d’Arles Author’s book award, FR
RESIDENCIES
2023 WARP Artist Village, BE/NL
2018 Residency of Webster University, Leiden, NL
2018 Cassis Air Residency, Cassis, FR
2016 Docking Station Residency, Nominated by Rui Prata, Amsterdam, NL
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Water Portraits, Museum Hilversum, Hilversum, NL
2023 Water Portraits, See Lab, The Hague, NL
2023 DreamHouse, One Day Role Playing Performance, Iii, The Hague, NL
2022 Dinner for Tired and Busy People (Co-created with Anastasia Loginova), PIP Den Haag, NL
2022 I Don’t Think I’ll Stay Here Long, Three-Channel Installation, Outsiderland, Amsterdam, NL
2022 A Call to a Friend, One Day Performance, W139, Amsterdam, NL
2019 (Beside)Yourself, Metenkov’s House of Photography, Yekaterinburg, RU
2017 The Goddess Guide and W Projects, Copenhagen Photo Festival, DK
2016 Adopted Welsh, Ffotogallery, Cardiff Contemporary Festival, UK
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Duo Show: Intertwined Narratives, Namuso Gallery, The Hague, NL
2024 Water Portraits, Prospects by Mondriaan Foundation, Art Rotterdam, NL
2023 Water Portraits, One Hiccup & Two Hiccup, Quartair, NL
2023 Water Portraits, LAB23 with Geertje Brandenburg, The Hague, NL
2023 I Don’t Think I’ll Stay Here Long, Nest Den Haag, Part of The Grand Palace of Everyone, NL
2022 Water Portraits, PAN Amsterdam, Part of MIAP Foundation Exhibition, NL
2022 Water Portraits, The Ways of Water, Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam, NL
2022 Water Portraits, Wageningen Dialogue Center, Omnia, NL
2021 Chin Up Chin Down, KABK Graduation Festival, NL
2020 Building a Monument, Collective Online Performance, MA Photography and Society, KABK, NL
2018 Waiting, DongGang Photography Festival, South Korea, KR
2017 Shvilishvili, Photobook Fenomenon, Barcelona, Spain, ES
2016 Shvilishvili, FOTODOK, Utrecht, NL
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2022 Scores for When You Feel Awkward at a Dinner (Collaboration with Beatrice Cera)
2021 Images I Can’t Show (Thesis Publication)
2015 Waiting
2014 The Alphabet of Shared Words
2012 Shvilishvili
TEACHING
2024 — Led the course How Games Work at iii, The Hague, NL
2022-2024 — Taught Between Game and Play at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK), The Hague, NL
2022-2023 — Mentored first-year students in the MA Photography and Society program, KABK, The Hague, NL
2022-2023 — Organized The Movement Lab as part of the Master Collaborative Program, KABK, The Hague, NL
2021 — Conducted workshops on Translating Methods for the MA Photography and Society and MA Interior Architecture programs at KABK, The Hague, NL
2020-2022 — Co-founded the collaborative educational initiative More Than a Project with Maria Morina
2020 — Led the Photojournalism Course for the BA Photography program at KABK, The Hague, NL
2019 — Facilitated the Next to You workshop at the Danish School of Media and Journalism, Kaliningrad & Reykjavik
2015-2020 — Taught Project Making at Fotografika Academy, Saint-Petersburg, RU