My name is Lea Novi, I am a visual artist based in Rotterdam and Munich, mainly working with the photographic medium, which I often combine with audio, text, clay and video. My work revolves around how complex question of climate change can be communicated through storytelling. In my practice, I seek to encourage more empathic relationships with our ecological surroundings. Ecology and extinction, ecological interdependence and the human impact on the environment are recurring themes in my artistic practice. Intimately related to this, I am strongly interested in the psychological and emotional effects of climate change, both on a personal and artistic level.
Ever since I was a kid, I have experienced emotional states of ‘eco-anxiety’ which refers to the “chronic fear of suffering an environmental cataclysm”. The exploitation of animals and plants by humans and systems of industrialism touches me deeply and values of ecological justice have become a strong motivating force in my artistic practice
I am a member of the collectives: Radio Echo, Timetripping and the Fiction(al) Writing Club.
The website was coded and adjusted by Max Lehmann and designed by Robin de Haan.
contact@leanovi.com
de +49 15110573770 / nl +31 6522953
@lea.novi In: Lea Novi
I am available for commissioned projects, collaborations, print requests, mentoring, workshops, lectures, food forest tours or just having a chat. Thanks for your visit :)
Group Exhibitions &
Public Presentations ( selected )
2026
( upcoming ) Fiction(al) Writing Playground, event & exhibition, collaboration with Rosa Zangenberg and Rose Rose Bieszczad, Hillevliet, Rotterdam (nl)
( upcoming ) The Golden Garden, Prospects, Art Rotterdam, Ahoy Rotterdam, Rotterdam ( nl )
Specie Vigations in The Park, Public Event & Workshop (Observation Drawing), School for MultiSpecies Knowledges, Zone2Sorce, Amsterdam ( nl )
I — Cycles, Voedselbos De Overtuin, Trompenburg, Rotterdam ( nl )
2025
open studios, Groot Rotterdams Atelier Weekend, Teilingerstraat (Timewindow), Rotterdam, ( nl )
Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, screening, Fotofestiwal, Łódź, (pl)
So habe ich es noch nie gesehen, exhibition in collaboraton with Pezi Novi, DONNER wie Blitz gallery, Munich, (de)
open studios, Groot Rotterdams Atelier Weekend, Teilingerstraat (Timewindow), Rotterdam (nl )
Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, screening, Fotofestiwal, Łódź ( pl )
So habe ich es noch nie gesehen, exhibition in collaboraton with Pezi Novi, DONNER wie Blitz gallery, Munich ( de )
Fiction(al) Writing Playground, event & exhibition, collaboration with Rosa Zangenberg, South Explorer, Some Other Space, Rotterdam ( nl )
about A woman, IN YOUR FACE, group exhibition, de Doelen Art, Rotterdam ( nl )
2024
Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, online exhibition, Der Greif - Guest Room: New Grounds, currated by Hannah Fletcher and Alice Cazenave
Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, performative talk, theatrical dinner, Fotodok, Utrecht, (nl)
The Land of Milk and Marsh, performative talk, collaboration with sumerie, Deeper than Ocean, Rotterdam, (nl)
2023
Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, group exhibition, In Times Of Trouble We Dream With Open Eyes, The Grey Space in the Middle, The Hague, (nl)
Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, group exhibition, workshop in collaboration with Julia Wilhelm, Groot Rotterdams Atelier Weekend, Ijzerblock, Rotterdam, (nl)
Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, graduation show, Unstill, KABK, The Hague, (nl)
2022
Illusion of a Happy City, Kunstprijs Charlois, group exhibition, theater Zuidplein and metrostation Masshaven, Rotterdam, (nl)
My Dear Friend Sam, collaboration with Ben Yau and Daniel Chatard, window exhibition at KABK, The Hague, (nl)
My Dear Friend Sam, collaboration with Ben Yau and Daniel Chatard, group exhibition, Yolun Dışında, Darağaç, Izmir, (tr)
2021
Attitudes of Elements, group exhibition, Countercurrents, Bunker at Waterkant, The Hague, (nl)
2020
The Calm After the Storm, Refracted Reality, V2_ , Rotterdam, (nl)
2019
Photo Conversation with Nihayah, Dagmar, Varvaria and Lea, Hybrid virtual-real exchange, Lucerne University of Applied Science and Arts, Peterskapelle, Luzern, (ch)
Silent Witness, Eye on Art Research Lab, Eye Film Museum, Amsterdam, (nl)
2018
Rainbow Refugees (Stories), group exhibiton, MUCCA, Munich, (de)
The Land of Milk and Marsh, Photo18, Praterinsel, Munich, (de)
The Land of Milk and Marsh, halbvoll X halbleer, Farbenladen, Munich, (de)
My name is Lea Novi, I am a visual artist based in Rotterdam and Munich, mainly working with the photographic medium, which I often combine with audio, text, clay and video. My work revolves around how complex question of climate change can be communicated through storytelling. In my practice, I seek to encourage more empathic relationships with our ecological surroundings. Ecology and extinction, ecological interdependence and the human impact on the environment are recurring themes in my artistic practice. Intimately related to this, I am strongly interested in the psychological and emotional effects of climate change, both on a personal and artistic level.
Ever since I was a kid, I have experienced emotional states of ‘eco-anxiety’ which refers to the “chronic fear of suffering an environmental cataclysm”. The exploitation of animals and plants by humans and systems of industrialism touches me deeply and values of ecological justice have become a strong motivating force in my artistic practice
I am a member of the collectives: Radio Echo, Timetripping and the Fiction(al) Writing Club.
The website was coded and adjusted by Max Lehmann and designed by Robin de Haan.
contact@leanovi.com
de +49 15110573770 / nl +31 6522953
@lea.novi In: Lea Novi
I am available for commissioned projects, collaborations, print requests, mentoring, workshops, lectures, food forest tours or just having a chat. Thanks for your visit :)
Grants & Residencies
10/2025- 03/2026
PPO mentoring grant, (nl)
10/2025- 03/2026
School for MultiSpecies Knowledges, Zone2Sorce (nl)
03/2025- 05/2025
Talent Embassy Program, Fotodok ( nl & pl)
10/2024- 06/2025
CBK I&V, research grant ( nl )
10/2024- 10/2025
Mondriaan fonds, Artist Start ( nl )
19/2023- 05/2024
Lighthouse Talent Program, Fotodok ( nl )
09/2022- 07/2023
DAAD fellowship abroad ( de )
Publications ( selected )
2025
Why Read Together? On Companions, Co-conspirators, and Breathing Words, picture contribution,published by HumDrum Press and crafted by Reading Rhythms Club (Julia Wilhelm and Senka Milutinović) Rotterdam ( nl )
2024
Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, Der Greif, The Sustainable Darkroom & Tamsin Green Guest Room: New Grounds (online)
2023
The Butterfly of Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, collaboration with Julia Wilhelm, self published ( theatical dinner ), Fotodok, Utrecht ( nl )
2022
Portret van de Tarwewijk, interview and commisioned work, Kulturweerkplats, Rotterdam ( nl )
the ice was blue and the ice was thick of Somewhere Else is Closer than You Think, self published andexhibited at Zine Camp, Rotterdam ( nl )
Attitudes of Elements, Chip Foto-Video Digital, featuring Counter Currents, CNcn)
Ying Yang: A collection of thoughs for/how self publishers (to) balance the struggle of publishing inthe climate crisis area, curated by Floor van Meeuwen, Beautiful Plastic Bag, Rotterdam, NL(nl)