She left home at the age of 17 to study monumental painting at Shtiglitz Academy in Saint Petersburg, where she learned traditional master techniques. Still, after being disappointed by that education system, Yuma went to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. In 2023, she held her first solo show in Europe with Bloom Galerie in St. Tropez, followed by her American debut with Steve Turner in Los Angeles. Radne spent a semester abroad at the Slade School of Art.
Almost 4 years ago, we had our first conversation on June 1, 2020, when I published the interview. How have you been since then?
I’ve been good! In 2020 I just moved to Vienna from Linz, and despite the lockdown, studios in the academy were open. I just spent my time painting and drawing. In 2023, I kind of moved to London for exchange, but accidentally stayed here.
What has happened over these past 4 years?
Vienna became home for me, I got even too comfortable and accidentally moved to the UK. Sounds weird, but I didn’t mean to! At first, I decided to make an exchange semester and chose the Slade School of Art in London for it. I thought—I’d just sublet my flat in Vienna and come back—but no—at the end of August, I had to move out, because the landlady’s dad died and she decided to sell the property. I sold most of my furniture and possessions, gave some of it to friends, and went to London with 2 suitcases. After a week of being there, I was like, wow! It’s big, wild, and dirty after living in Austria for so long. But, god, I love it! I want to stay; how do I do it? Luckily, my roommate at the time, Lorin Mai, a young Kurdish fashion designer, told me about the talent visa. I thought—I’m going to get it; I don’t know if I go back to Vienna; I’m still a student at the academy, but I need to get that talent visa! My life is in London now.
I applied, and in December 2023 I received the acceptance email—the first step is done! To prove that you’re talented. It was easy! The next step was just documents.
It felt so easy; I already planned my life in London, the exchange at Slade was over, and I was even searching for a studio. I was settled. Suddenly, in February I got another email—my talent visa application was rejected because I applied from inside the country, and I had to apply from where my residency was—Austria. Bureaucracy.
Back to Austria, I go! One luggage this time, I live nowhere—not in London anymore, not really in Vienna either. I’m applying for the visa again; I don’t know if I get it. In Vienna, I don’t have a flat anymore, just a short sublet. Uncertainty. A long wait.
June – I finally made it, back in London now, another short sublet, now I can plan my life, come back to Vienna eventually to graduate, still a student there, but no longer in London.
Currently, you live in London but study in Vienna. What do you find cool about London? What do you love about Vienna?
London naturally just has a coolness to itself; it’s just a cool city. Vienna is not that cool, but Vienna is incredibly beautiful and amazing in its own special way. I’m so happy I found out about this hidden gem. As a teenage girl living in Siberia, it feels random, but I think it was destiny. I feel like in London people don’t know much about Vienna, and they’re missing out. Vienna is so privileged, it’s crazy. Annoyingly, people who live there don’t always realise that; they like to complain. People in London live more shitty, but they don’t complain, which is funny.
I’ve learned not to compare anymore; when I lived in Saint Petersburg, I was comparing it to my hometown, Ulaan Ude. Linz, I was comparing it to Vienna or Saint Petersburg as well. Then in London, the first months, I was just comparing it to Vienna, and, of course, it’s so terrible; it’s like comparing a cake with a kebab, I don’t know. Then there is Vienna; that’s just incomparable; it’s a little magic land. You can try to compare it to Copenhagen or Basel or something, but not to Berlin or London, Vienna is just too good for these cities. It’s just so sweet.
Are there friendships that have significantly impacted your artistic journey?
Of course! Arang Choi, we used to be classmates, and now we’re mates. We shared a studio for a long time, and I hope we will be sharing it again sometime in the future! Callum Eaton, my fellow painter mate. Surprisingly, we share a lot in common—we’re both Aquariuses and middle children. Thanks for storing all my life in boxes in your studio! Brynley Odu Davies, thank you for existing!
Yuma Radne – www.instagram.com/yumaradne
