In today’s reality, escapism has become the most common practice for people trying to maintain their sanity. Whether its binge watching a favorite show, cuddling with a good book, touring distant countries or perusing other thrills – we all need to sometimes checkout of our routine and substitute it for something better, even if just for a little while.
Although our imagination is at its peak during our childhood, as adults, most people lose the basic skill to magically transfer themselves to another reality, and it is my goal to serve as a guide and take them on such alternate adventures – filled with awe and wonder.
Coming from a rather strict upbringing in a conservative country with ongoing conflicts, I’ve developed my skill of escaping reality at a young age and refuse to abandon this practice to this day. In my art, I cast Mother Nature’s grand forests and seas as the setting, along with youthful characters who serve as co-actors to myself and the viewers who join me on this adventure. Demonstrating thoughtful innocence, free of burdens and worries, weaving deep relationships between location, characters and activities – inviting everyone to cast away their own inhibitions and join.
I deal with two distinct types of paintings these days, my portraits offer direct introduction to the characters that inhabit this alternate reality, they are made in the style of Dutch photography – very calculated and precise, loaded with emotion and in various poses. My bigger paintings are much more free-flowing as they tell a more descriptive story of one or more of the characters engaging with some majestic location that can be both exciting and intimidating at the same time. In these paintings, the location offers a unique window into the intimate world and state of mind of the characters, allowing the viewer to relate at a higher level.
I mostly paint oil on canvas, because I find that it offers me total freedom to express myself and produce with faithful accuracy the image and feeling I have in mind. I am influenced mostly by photography, artists such as Ryan McGinley, Rineke Dijkstra and Norbert Bisky. Like them, I want to reach wider audiences and take the viewers on a journey to escape their reality, if only for a little while.
