INTERVIEW V

How did you begin your journey in the art world?

• I spent most of my childhood creating. I would sit on my own for hours making beads jewelry and sewing, but when I became an adult it got lost. However, around 12 years ago, I moved to India and started to draw quite often. I guess the change in perspective caused by the cultural shock generated an urge to express myself. I have then experimented with collage, sculpture, crochet… I would feel relaxed while creating with these media. Still, none gave me the answers that painting does. I somehow always knew that I had to paint, but it was only after a dream that it became inevitable. I dreamt I had a studio in New York City and would create these huge black-and-white paintings. When I woke up, I knew that was the direction I had to take.

2) Where do you draw inspiration for your abstract works?

• Mostly from my inner world and feelings, but also from other artists, from nature, from everyday life… The other day I saw a garment rack with a few jackets hanging on it. The color combination and the way those jackets were displayed consisted of an incidental artwork.

3) How do you select colors, shapes, and textures for your pieces?

• I work continuously to increase and refine my materials and techniques library. It contains a limited color palette to choose from, which simplifies my practice quite a bit. I believe that too many variables can easily get an artist stuck. Thus, I selected a few colors that bring me joy and made them my go-to. I also have the circle as one of my staples, which I combine with more organic shapes to create the compositions. I have been experimenting with various finishings and textures, but it’s been a challenge to apply them meaningfully. Furthermore, I prefer to dive deep into a given element before incorporating it into my practice. For individual pieces or series, shapes are normally the first thing that arises. Colors come next and are selected along the way, according to the message or feeling the painting needs to convey.

4) What techniques do you use to bring your creations to life?

• I use a blend of acrylic painting and mixed media on canvas. The pieces are a combination of geometric shapes and more organic elements, whose aim is to represent the balance between control and surrender. The sharp edges are obtained through several layers of painting and precise gestures.

5) Do you identify with a particular movement or artistic style?

• I have been influenced by Street art, by the minimalistic aspects of Suprematism, even though I shy away from sharp edges, and especially by Orphism. However, I do not see myself as part of a specific movement. I feel that there are a lot of surprises to appear in my path, and it’s exciting to allow the process to make my style evolve.

6) What is your creative process like? Do you follow a precise plan, or do you let instinct and emotions guide you?

• Most of my paintings have a fairly well-defined vision in the beginning. At first, I sketch them without using colors. Most of the time, I fail to materialize the feeling I had when I imagined the painting. Sometimes, I get frustrated and drop the idea, other times I just accept that I will never be satisfied, so I head to the canvas and try to render the shapes to the best of my abilities. Yet, in a few instances, the process offers pleasant surprises and the painting evolves into something richer than the original idea. It depends a lot on how I feel. The calmer and happier I am, the more likely it will be that the process will take over and surpass the initial vision.

7) What message do you wish to convey through your works?

• I like to explore themes of perception, mindfulness, and hope. I see painting as a way of designing future realities and decoding complex feelings and intuitions. Thus, I would like my paintings to offer a glimpse into more harmonious mental states, or at least to remind the observer that nothing is as permanent as it seems. I also believe that mindfulness and tranquility are a type of rebellion act. All the over-stimulation our brains are exposed to non-stop is designed to keep us trapped, rigid, and fearful. Art can fight it by connecting us back to our inner worlds. For me, good art should offer hope.

8) What are your goals or aspirations as an abstract artist?

• My main goal is to keep practicing in order to materialize my artistic vision the best I can. I wish to be able to make art that brings me joy. If other people can feel joy and calmness by looking at my paintings, that would be even better.

9) Do you have any future projects or dreams you'd like to share with us?

• One of the next goals is to render my paintings more immersive. I am under the impression that small pieces induce people to want to decipher them, while large ones engulf the viewer, forcing him to get out of his head. Hence, my next projects will be either scale up or blend painting and sculpture.