Olga et Elena Budaeva

Olga and Elena were born in Moscow, Russia. From an early age, they showed natural inclination for painting and they entered Serov Children Art school at the age of 12 which they finished with distinction. Then they graduated from the department of Applied Arts at Moscow State Textile University with Honors. 

Besides painting and drawing they have been also interested in movement, dance.

They are Candidates for Master of Sports in rhythmic gymnastics, they went in for sport during 7 years and studied classical dance. Then they studied jazz-modern and later contemporary dance in Moscow.

Since 2008 they have been taking part in Impulstanz dance festival in Vienna. They participated in different workshops and research projects led by Laura Aris Alvarez, Keren Levi, Inaki Azpillaga, Keith A.Thompson, Damien Jalet, Mitia Fedotenko, Jozef  Frucek & Linda Kapetanea, David Zambrano, Frey Faust, Francesco Scavetta, Rasmus Olme, Shelly Senter, Marta Coronado, Judith  Sanches Ruiz etc. 

Since 2009 Elena and Olga have been teaching contemporary dance in Moscow and they were involved in some performances.

In 2011 Olga and Elena were invited by Jean Lambert-wild to the theatre Comedie de Caen for the new creation ”War sweet War”, the premier was on February 28, 2012 in Caen, France. Performance is on tour.

They are very interested in creating their own performances and projects. 

The premier of performance “Memory of heart” by Olga and Elena Budaeva was on February 15, 2014 in finale of the contest “Just Duet” between choreographers of contemporary dance in Moscow, Russia. Concept, choreography, performance: Budaeva Olga, Budaeva Elena, sound designer: Dmitri Marine, costume design: Olya Shishkina.

Olga and Elena participated in work-in-progress performance “Materia” by Juha Marsalo and Caroline Savi. It was shown on February 13, 2013, l'Espace Renaudie, Aubervilliers, Paris, France.

Also Olga and Elena played in the performance “Easy-Come-Easy-Go<at>Body<dot>Move” at the exhibition “The Other side”, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, 2014. They participated in the performance “Polinesia”, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts/ Private collections, Moscow, 2014.

Olga and Elena work as artists, stylists and their paintings and drawings have been included in different international exhibits, festivals, competitions and private collections:

Exhibitions “Autumn vernissage”,”March cats” at Gallery N, Moscow, 2010; 

Exhibition at 7th Russian Art Week, Moscow, 2010; Exhibition "The thousand nights and one night" at International Art Fund, Moscow, 2003; X Competition of professional fashion-designers ”Ascending-the classics and  folk” organized by Slava Zaitsev, Moscow, 2003; "25 youth exhibition" at Moscow artists' union, 2001; Exhibition of Moscow young  artists and architects “Moscow seen by the eyes of youth”, 2002; Fashion show “New Names” by III Moscow International Forum, 2001; “IV International  Festival of young designers named after Stroganov S.G.”, Moscow, 2001; Elena’s water colour work “Ball of the flowers” was included in the exhibition “Master and  time” by the russian artist Shikin A.G. at the Central Museum of World War II, 1941-1945, Moscow ,2000 and  etc.

Elena became a member of International association “Union of designers”, Moscow, 2001 and also was awarded with the Prize at professional competition of designers “Pret-a-porter on Pokrovka”, Moscow, 2002.

Some of their paintings were included in the book “International contemporary masters IV” by Despina Tunberg, published in 2011, USA. Also Olga’s works are shown in the book “Drawing for designers: The Lessons of Classical tradition” edition 2006, by author V.F. Sidorenko. 

In 2003 Olga worked as artist in the publishing company “Gloria-Art”, the issue of “Moscow Nights” magazine, May/June 2003.