Alexia Wright: You grew up as the child of circus performers. How did that unique upbringing shape who you are?
Angela Nikolau: My parents shaped my vision as a child. They made me do rhythmic gymnastics, and that influenced me a lot. It turned me into an athlete. Gymnastics and sports taught me discipline, how to set a goal, move toward it, and achieve it. That mindset helped me in everything I’ve done. It shaped me as an artist, as I use gymnastic movements at heights most cannot reach, and that makes my art stand out.
Vanya and I are like a circus family too, we’re always traveling, always on the move, creating art and performing. We even have two animals that travel with us, so it feels like we are part of a small circus moving across different countries and cities, constantly experiencing something new.
Sunny Dubai Extreme Edition, 2022
AW: One of the connections the viewer gets to see in the documentary is your relationship with your grandmother. What role did she play in your upbringing, and how has her influence shaped the way you live your life?
AN: My granny had a huge influence on me as a person. She was always very involved in my upbringing and what I did. She tried to develop my abilities in many areas. For example, she took me to singing classes, dance classes, ballet classes, clay molding classes; any kind of class you can imagine, I’ve taken it. I grew up a very artistic person, and I learned to use this artistic approach in everything I do in life.
Whatever task I have, whether it's technical, financial, or anything else, I always do it artistically.
Sometimes I see people doing things robotically, and I think, why can’t they do this in an artistic way?
My grandma also taught me to do the impossible. She would always say, “Close your mouth and eat,” meaning focus and just get it done.
AW: You call yourself a skywalker rather than rooftopper. What’s the distinction for you?
AN: For a while, I was the only girl in Russia climbing roofs, all the rest were boys. The boys weren’t focused on aesthetics. Most of them came from families with problems, and they just wanted to be left alone to drink their beer and smoke without anyone bothering them. They went up to the roofs to find an escape. I didn’t connect with that mentality, especially because I didn’t drink alcohol until I was 24, and I have never smoked. Vanya and I share similar values, we realized we were driven by something different than those people in Russia. We were chasing aesthetics, not just a place to drink.
For example, I would bring different kinds of dresses for the shoots, from a ballerina to a dress with a three-meter-long hem.
Every time I went up to a roof, I treated it like an act of service to aesthetics.
I knew that roof-toppers were usually seen as people who broke the law or intruded somewhere, but that was never my goal. I wanted to reflect a more artistic approach to what I was doing.
Girl Next-Door, 2022
AW: Watching the documentary, there was a line that stuck with me. You describe your craft by saying, 'Roofs were calling for me, and I wanted to touch the sky.' What is it about heights that speaks to you?
AN: I was scared the first time I found myself up high. There were a lot of boys watching me, and I was sitting on the edge of the building with my legs hanging off. I was terrified, but I didn’t want to give in and show them I was afraid.
So, I stayed on the edge, and at that moment, I realized that my full potential was on the other side of my fear. I overcame it, and that’s when I knew I could do something extraordinary.
AW: What thoughts are in your mind when you climb now?
AN: It depends on the roof. If I think back about my experience climbing Merdeka, the second-tallest building in the world. It was scary because the platform we were standing on was very small and unstable. But there are other roofs, safer and bigger ones, where I feel more at home. For me, it’s like a meditation.
When I’m climbing, I’m fully composed. I can even control my toes separately because I’m that focused. It’s like a mindful awareness, where I concentrate on my breath, my body, and every inch of how it feels. It’s a beautiful, meditative experience for me.
But there’s also the opposite side of it. When I take the camera and start looking at a site artistically, I completely disconnect from reality. It’s always been like that for me, even when I am painting. When I dive into the creative process, I lose track of time. I forget what I’m doing, and where I’m standing. I’m all in the process. It’s good that my boyfriend is with me because he can do a reality check and make sure I’m safe, that we’re on schedule, and that we’re getting everything done. As an artist, I’m flying high in the sky, seeing the best angles, but I’m not always present in the moment.
AW: The documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story follows you and your partner Vanya over a period of six years, capturing your climbs across different countries. What can you tell me about this experience?
AN: I had experience filming documentaries before Skywalkers was filmed. One was shot by a Danish crew, and the second one was shot by a Slovakian crew. In my first experience, the crew lived with me. I learned how to sleep with them, wake up with them, eat with them, and feel comfortable in front of the cameras. The second one was more artistic, where I had to act a little. I learned to follow the script and consider the lighting, the poses, and my surroundings.
My first experience was intimidating. When I saw myself on the big screen - eating with my teeth showing, for example - I didn’t think about the documentary or the artistry. I just thought, "Oh my God, I look awful, please don’t look at me!" By the time the second film was done, I had changed. I had become used to seeing myself on screen and learned to accept myself in different states, which I believe is something every woman around the world should embrace. It’s a great method of personal growth.
I’m grateful for theses experiences because I learned a lot from them. The Skywalkers crew was impressed when they started filming, noting how well Vanya and I fit into the frame, how agile we were, and how quickly we adapted.
Skywalkers Documentary Poster, 2024
AW: As an artist, one of the interesting aspects of having a documentary made about you is that it allows you to bring people along on your creative journey. What aspects of your story do you think the documentary captured that might have otherwise gone unseen?
AN: What surprised me the most was that people weren’t as interested in the process of evading security or picking locks or doing extreme things. Most people’s reactions focused on the relationships. A different side of me was shown in the documentary, one that isn’t visible on my Instagram or X account, where I usually focus on my art and not on my relationships. I’m not used to sharing that side of myself with the world.
Another thing that surprised me was the feedback from others. Not many people realize how tough and dirty the process can be, not in a legal sense, but in terms of the physical conditions. I have spent 24 hours without eating or drinking, sitting in some dusty corner, hiding from security, or putting myself in dangerous situations. As an artist, I always wanted everything to look beautiful, so I never share photos of my dirty hands or big bruises. In the documentary, though, people were able to see the whole process. It was uncomfortable for me because I’m not the type of person who likes to share things until they’re finished. I’m a perfectionist, and I always want everything to look beautiful. It was interesting to see that even collectors who had bought my art before - those who knew me as a person and as an artist - were surprised by how much I go through to achieve that perfect look.
Rubik's Cube, 2023
AW: Throughout the documentary, skywalking is framed as both an art form and an act of defiance. What do you hope viewers take away from what you do and how you do it?
AN: I received three main types of messages. The first one was from people saying how the film gave them hope, with some sharing that it made them believe in love again or that they could have hope because they saw it in Vanya and me.
The second, and biggest response was that our relationship brought a new zest for life to people.
Many said they had limits they thought were fixed, but through our story, they saw that overcoming those limits opened up their full potential.
The third was about the relationship with parents. A lot of viewers said they related to my struggles with my parents, and it gave them mental support. They saw that even brave, courageous people face these problems, and that helped them feel supported.
About defiance, I believe there are two kinds of people: workers and artists. Artists usually thrive through defiance because they don’t follow the rules, and that’s how they create something new. Even when I was studying at art school in Moscow. I took classical easel painting classes, but I never followed the rules. When we were asked to draw in an avant-garde style, which is usually all about gray and black colors with maybe a bit of red, I refused to be constrained. Instead, I brought and used my own colors. I had one teacher tell me that I was using too many colors and he even “corrected” my work by adding black and gray paint from his palette. Once he left, I took a cloth, removed everything he added, and continued using my colors.
For me, defiance is about not having limits imposed by anyone, even overcoming the limits you impose on yourself. You have to follow your heart, and then you can go anywhere and everywhere.
Way Up, 2023
AW: Your climb up Merdeka is the culmination of years of preparation. What was going through your mind while Vanya held you up for the acrobatic lift?
AN: It was early on, on the second day of our climb, when we were in the building. We had no food and no water. We were super tired and hadn’t slept.
We were ready to give up but then we remembered how much work had gone into preparing this climb.
The many months of preparation and planning, the filing of the documentary which was already in production. We realized we couldn’t just walk away.
When I got to the top, I was completely drained. I was carrying a 25-kilo backpack, and I had to climb a 60-meter-high ladder with it. Vanya was carrying the platform we would be standing on for the lift, so I had to carry everything else. I was completely drained and felt like I couldn’t go any further. I was ready to give up. But Vanya was there for me, supporting me the whole way. He told me that if I didn’t want to continue, it was okay, and that we could just sit and enjoy the view instead. So, we took a moment to sit, and as I rested, I slowly started to regain my strength. I remembered that I don’t give up. Once I had composed myself, I was ready to continue. I used my usual technique for dealing with heights: I meditated. I focused on a single point, blocking out thoughts of falling or losing balance, and just allowed myself to calm down.
AW: You’re often dressed in fancy clothing for your final shot. Can you walk me through the process of preparing for a photo while high up on a rooftop?
AN: A lot depends on the roof. Sometimes the roof is big and flat, and I can move around and change freely. Other times, it’s a spire, and I have to change while climbing, wearing high heels and a dress. At times, we disguise ourselves as residents of different high-rise buildings, acting tipsy and dressed well to sneak past security.
Bad Girl, 2022
AW: You transform your skywalking adventures into paintings that explore themes of feminine strength, determination, and sensuality. What drives you to translate these extreme experiences into art?
AN: I studied classical art in university, but my heart just didn’t belong there. I worked on commissions but this did not fulfill me. I’ve always been a rebel, so I made a promise to myself that I would never do commissioned art again. After I made this decision, I started searching for my own unique style.
It started with the realization that I wanted to create with bright, almost childish colors. I’ve always felt like a big child inside, and I think it’s important to keep that inner child alive, no matter what life throws at you. My grandmother for example, no matter what has happened to her, she is always smiling, joking, and filled with life. She had that inner joy and I inherited this from her. I’m 30 now, but I still see the world through her eyes, and I want to bring that joy, that color, and that lightness to the world through my art.
I started experimenting with not just colors, but shapes as well. I worked on sculptures using epoxy resin. It was all part of my process. One day, someone on Instagram called me a "catwoman," and that deeply resonated with me. It felt like a perfect fit. It was then that I realized my strength as a woman. Women, I believe, are stronger than men because we can do things they can’t. If a man tried to climb a rooftop, he’d be stopped. But if I go up there in high heels and a shiny dress, security won’t even think twice. They’ll just let me do my thing. I discovered the power of being feminine and that we don’t need to compete with men. We’re different and we are strong in our own way.
That was when everything clicked. I realized this was the art I should be creating. My climbs became part of my art, and I started redefining myself through it. My art is all about heights, and if you look at it, you’ll always see a catwoman on a rooftop, with different perspectives from up high. Once I embraced this, the world began to support me, and my pieces started to sell.
My style continues to evolve, it’s flowing and transforming. For example, my latest works have a 3D quality to them, with shapes, glitter, and silicon that shine as if you can touch them. I don’t believe that creating 2D works is enough for me anymore.
In both my art and my climbs, I try to show that life doesn’t always have to be serious—it’s also a game, like an animation or a matrix. We don’t need to take everything so seriously. I also want to give people a perspective from above, because not many can see the world from up high.
I love working with contrast, both in my photos and my climbs. On the one hand, you have the hard, urban, concrete world, and on the other, you have the fragile, beautiful woman. I also like to do the same in my drawings. Recently, I’ve been drawing women who are naked, but I portray them in a very innocent way. For me, my art is about being rebellious, but not vulgar.
Let’s Play, 2025
AW: You have mentioned being intentional about the colors you choose for your drawings. What inspires your color selection?
AN: A lot of it comes from what I see around me when I am on a building. The advertising banners on rooftops, the way natural light changes throughout the day, and the contrast of artificial signs against the sky.
Roller Girl, 2025
AW: How do you go about choosing which of your images you will transform into a painting?
AN: It’s always a double-sided process. Sometimes the photograph inspires the drawing, and sometimes the drawing inspires the photograph.
There are moments when I am simply sitting, eating, or walking the dog, and the light bulb shines. In these moments, I know exactly what I want. I see the whole artwork in my mind, already done with all the details. Then, I go to the rooftop and try to find the right angle that I envisioned in my head. Vanya also helps with this process, but he doesn’t have the same vision I have. He always wonders why I’m so definitive about it or why I have to do it in a certain way. Other times, I already have a photograph, and I can see how the drawing should take shape. It’s all interconnected.
No Way Out, 2025
Angela Nikolau is a Russian artist and skywalker whose rooftop photography and paintings embody feminine strength, determination, and sensuality. With an upbringing steeped in art, Angela's childhood was shaped by her gymnast training, the life lessons and positivity imparted by her grandmother, and the adventurous spirit of her circus-performing family. These formative experiences instilled in her a passion for aesthetics, relentless discipline, and a fearless approach to making art. Alongside her partner, Vanya, Angela has become internationally renowned for scaling the world’s most dangerous structures. She and Vanya were the subjects of the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, earning worldwide acclaim.
Alexia Wright believes in the power of storytelling and the importance of providing context to art. She shares this passion through writing and content creation, including the Art After Hours interview series for Tribul, and co-hosting the Collectors Call Podcast and FOMO Factor video series. As Communications Director for the Charles Csuri Estate and Head of Social Media and Marketing at Tribul, she elevates the stories behind the art. With a Master of Arts degree, Alexia stays engaged with the latest trends in art and web3.