Ukraine at the Fore

Being Neighbourly talks to Inna Wegener about her studio rare.weg and her current exhibition of Ukrainian artists.

Author/ Being Neighbourly
7 May 2026

Inna Wegener is a Kyiv-born Ukrainian amalgamation: part artist-curator, part tech wizard, who I first met at the Being Neighbourly exhibition, ‘Transitions’ in November 2024, at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre.

Fast forward a few years and here we are meeting again in a gallery space, this time, her gallery Rare.weg, in Wong Chuk Hang, which she opened in late 2025. It’s larger than I had imagined, in an industrial building a stone’s throw from Wong Chuk Hang MTR station and functions as a creative digital studio, Weg Studio (established in 2014) and exhibition space.

Wegener, who has previously lived in Shanghai, Perth, as well as her native Ukraine, appears settled in the Southside location and describes a community of galleries in Wong Chuk Hang, consisting of many former tenants of spaces in Central, who have fled the much higher per square footage rents for slightly less high per square footage rents.

Today, Wegener’s showing a collection of Ukrainian artists in a group show, the UA Salon, (12 February–15 May 2026), of which the Hong Kong-based multidisciplinary artist and curator is a part.

The exhibition featured work from her ‘Derealization’ series, which explores the concept of perceptual disconnection and experiences of unreality. Through vibrant colour palettes and innovative painting techniques, Wegener captures the phenomenon of how we navigate multiple realities simultaneously, translating her affinity with the abnormal and surreal into powerful visual narratives.

“I believe that we live in a world full of different realities, but we can’t see all of them at the same time. My work is about trying to capture this phenomenon that is happening to me too and interpret this real-unreal world through the colour vibrations,” she says.

Once seen, the organic, coral-resembling forms in neon and other hues are immediately recognisable as Wegeners; and she confesses to have developed and stuck by this style, “since she was a young girl.”

Her elan has made her a popular choice with brands such as WASHI Denim, NEWAVE, Acne Studios, Nike, and Art Vespa 1968, who have commissioned her head-turning works, which, “take months to complete.”

For the UA Art Salon exhibition though, Wegener has chosen to promote other artists, ushering Ukrainians to the fore, as they recede into the political background of a world now fully immersed in the US-Iran conflict, she says.

Together, the six talented Ukrainian contemporary artists explore themes of modernism, gender, identity, human connection, migration, harmony, introspection and the boundaries between reality and perception. The exhibition features photography, painting, ceramics, digital art and multimedia practices, highlighting resilience and diverse voices in the current global context.

Though the situation is still ongoing in Ukraine, Wegener says she wishes to present another narrative to the frayed image of those “inflicted upon” or broken. She wants to show that life is ongoing there, and that people are still painting and creating.

The group of artists featured include Ukrainian artists still located there, as well as those who live in Hong Kong, like she and Roman Olinchuk do (b. 1991, Chernivtsi, Ukraine). An award-winning fine art photographer based in Hong Kong, Olinchuk creates emotionally charged imagery characterized by visual storytelling and powerful narratives. His work explores themes of mental health, freedom, identity, and human connection, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences.

Julia Detre (b. 1998, Lviv, Ukraine) is another Ukrainian creative based in Hong Kong. Detre started photographing at a young age to discover new places and moments. She later developed a deep focus on portraiture and self-portraiture as a calm, reflective practice. Her ‘Flowerful Feelings’ is an invitation to slow down and breathe. She use soft whites, blush tones, and gentle glow to slow the viewer down, like an exhale moving from warmth to calm to release.

Then there’s Oleksandra Tsapko (b. 2002, Kyiv, Ukraine), a multimedia artist currently living in Zurich, Switzerland. Tsapko began her journey in graphic design at the Kyiv Academy of Media Arts, graduating in 2020. Her practice emerged from the challenges of migration in 2023, when daily routines became exhausting and liquid colours offered relief. Working with fluid media, Tsapko creates vibrant works defined by simplicity of shapes and rich expressiveness, bringing back a sense of relief during periods of rapid creative transformation.

Margaritka Babich (b. 1995, Kyiv, Ukraine) is another artist whose life has become her art. Babich has been a member of Kyiv’s Flowerbed community for three years. After relocating to Europe, her artistic journey unexpectedly began in 2021 while working as head of a creative group at an advertising agency. Her intuitive and tactile artistic process stems from mindfulness, rooted in dialogue between matter, emotion, and story—creating art that feels both authentic and quietly magical.

Lizave (b. 1987, Vinnytsia region, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian artist and designer dedicated to seeking harmony and exploring female beauty. Lizave’s practice spans painting, ceramics, and digital art. By combining seemingly uncombinable elements, she initiates contradictions that evolve into harmony. Drawing from naive and folk art, Lizave creates vibrant works defined by the simplicity of shapes and rich expressiveness. Her imagined worlds are filled with vibrant flora and fauna—spaces inspired by gardens and ancient eras where humans were deeply connected to nature.

The rare.weg studio serves as both a creative workspace and exhibition space, dedicated to, “showcasing contemporary art that challenges perceptions and explores the boundaries between reality and imagination and serves as a platform for emerging and established artists to share their unique perspectives with Hong Kong’s dynamic arts community,” says Wegener.

UA Salon runs until 15 May with opening hours 2-7pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

rare.weg studio

18D2 18/F, Kwai Bo Industrial Building, 40 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Hong Kong.