irena kononova

Artist Statement

When I paint, I embark on a search for the archetypal symbols in nature, with both utopian and dystopian vision in mind.
I intend to evoke a peaceful and contemplative mood but also to allude to the possible loss of the Earth as we know it.
My compositions are void of figures, but I manifest human presence with subtle signs.
The biomorphic shapes that fill my paintings blur the boundaries between organic force and crystalline mass and merge life with inert matter. The multiple layers of paint correspond to the geological layers of soil. Fluid element is omnipresent, as it would be in primordial aquatic nature.
My materials carry with them the realization of a metaphor: turpentine leaks represent flowing water and it is fitting that sand - a product of long interaction between stones and waves - is one of the physical components of my work.