Layla Rudneva-Mackay’s practice is not medium specific, having moved through sculpture, elaborately staged outdoor photography, pairing her subjects and photographing them, to creating small paintings on canvas. What unites Rudneva-Mackay’s multi-dimensional practice is an exploration of colour, tone and shape through carefully considered compositions. And, more importantly, in what the consideration of form and colour require as a methodology over and above any material choices.

Rudneva-Mackay’s recent work explores ideas around women’s bodies, motherhood, home, and care. Her practice investigates the need to articulate and explore ideas, thoughts, and feelings that she finds difficult to express in language. She has been described as an artist with a practice that makes a space for being lost for words.

Layla Rudneva-Mackay graduated with an MFA from the Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, in 2006. She has exhibited throughout Aotearoa in public and private galleries as well as artist run spaces since 1998. She has works in major public and private collections throughout Australasia.

Layla Rudneva-Mackay will exhibit new work as a solo exhibition in August 2024.