Elena Kalkova

Elena Kalkova is a Lecturer at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), specializing in post-Soviet feminist and queer art history. She holds a BA from Tver State University (Russia), an MA in Global Arts and Cultures from RISD, and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts (SVA). Her research focuses on memory, resistance to oppression, and the intersection of gender and art in post-Soviet contexts.

• Explores weaponization of memory, counter-memory, and state propaganda through queer and feminist lenses
• Investigates decolonial voices in post-Soviet art and the role of artistic translation

Awards include the 2024 SVA Thesis Award and 2021 Rhode Island Arts Council Grant. Her work has been exhibited globally, including at the RISD Museum and Romanian Cultural Institute. She collaborates on projects like Firebird with In Parentheses Theater.