Keeping in touch with contemporary art: Artists and their mindset
When the new artwork emerges, all eyes are on the artist. It is the artist who creates delicate worlds, placing clues about their lives and their often elusive, dignified mindset into their works. People tend to wonder what the artists value, where they come from, where they get inspiration sparks and what is their driving force. Today, we have an opportunity to take a closer look at how artists portray what they like and what they convey in their works.
Minou
As an engineer and a self-taught bas relief sculptor, Minou finds profound joy and fulfillment in blending the precision of engineering with the fluidity of artistic expression. She uses plaster as medium, as its malleability encourages experimentation and exploration, fostering a sense of spontaneity and freedom that sparks inspiration and fuels her artistic process. The tactile nature of plaster allows for a hands-on approach in sculpting and shaping Minou’s ideas with fluidity and precision. Using plaster as her medium allows the artist to bring visions into life by exploring a wide range of textures, from smooth and polished surfaces to rough and gritty finishes, adding depth, dimension, and character to compositions.
While Minou’s artistic influences are deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Persian miniature painting, renowned for its intricate details, vibrant colors, and poetic narratives, she also finds inspiration from the intricate patterns found in nature and the seemingly mundane details of everyday life. In a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain, Minou hopes her creations serve as a source of solace, reminding us of the inherent beauty and interconnectedness of our world.
Natasha Kanevski
– Natasha, what are your favorite childhood flowers?
– Tulips are my favorite.
– What do the symbols in your artworks depict?
– Every sculptured element in my works depicts a person, and I introduce many of them in my sculptures. We, people, are simple, flawed, fleeting, and we all know it. Nevertheless, because of all this, we all feel our excellence and the infinite beauty of being fragile and mortal. We are all in this together. We are connected.
– What is the secret of your magical technique?
– My secret? Well, I use rough texture – it highlights tenderness, making it even more tangible. Our roughness, wrinkles, flaws, and cracks only spotlight our humanity, revealing our essence, delicacy, purity, and excellence, the fact that we are infinitely beautiful in imperfection.
Kateryna Kryvolap
Kateryna Kryvolap adores all the existing flowers. Therefore, she can hardly choose a bouquet when she needs to buy one. All flowers are marvelous! That is exactly why Kateryna choses flowers as her main artwork theme.
And as for the Petrykivka flowers, they have a special kind of magic! Each flower carries the traditions and code of the nation. This is because, in this painting style, every flower brings its own unique symbol and meaning.
Oleksii Didihurov, Art Curator
