Interview with Svetlana Malakhova
Svetlana, please share some of your earliest experiences or influences that led you to pursue an art career, mainly focusing on the human theme?
Actually, during my studying I had already understood that the most interesting theme for me is the human body. I distracted from humans, only during summer practice when we were focusing on landscapes and spent a lot of time painting fields and trees or parks and rivers not far from Moscow. So, during summer time, I was engrossed in landscape painting, but when I came back to Academy walls, I began to create with a new energy new artworks with human bodies and work with models. I think it had always been in my subconscious mind, but my mind understood it a little bit later. Then, I almost stop to work with any theme but humanity and I think one life is not enough to open this enormous and huge question.
You've studied at various prestigious art schools. Can you describe how your experiences at the art schools in Russia, Florence, and New York have shaped your artistic vision and technique?
Yes. My style had developed under the influence of 4 different schools.
The Stroganov Academy of Art gave me an understanding of construction.
Repin Academy of Art gave me knowledge in painting.
Florence Art School gave me a lot of knowledge in tone relationships.
And New York's Academy of Art gave me an understanding of concepts and ideas in art.
This is really important to me, and I am grateful for it, that every school gave me a distinctive skill, which is like a piece of the puzzle of my art vision.
Your statement mentions a deep engagement with depicting the human body. How do you balance the traditional representation of the human form with your own distinctive style, especially when intertwining various poses and movements in your compositions?
To tell honestly, it is because of a big experience and a great wish to find something new in depicting human bodies. One of my wishes and main goals has always been to represent the human body in a new way, a new style, which nobody has ever done before. At the same time I understood that I could not refuse completely from my academic fundamentals, but creating the same as my teachers and artists before me was not interesting for me. So, the understanding of how to find my own way of depicting people by combining figurative and abstract energy came from the graphic. One summer, I did a huge sketch almost every day for 3 hours only for sketching with live models, and it was like you begin to dig in one destination and you have been digging until you do not find something that is really valuable and you feel it intuitively- Yes it something new. It is not the same when you copy someone and thing that it is your own style, but it comes from the inner you, from your inner voice.
You talk about connecting abstract energy with figurative elements in your work. Can you elaborate on how you use this combination to enhance the emotional impact of your pieces? How do you ensure that this blend resonates with viewers while maintaining the integrity of the human form?
First, I understood a lot about the influence of this style from my viewers. They spoke about how and what they see in my artwork. Every opinion was different. They talked about different images they saw in the same artwork. I mean, every person sees different meanings of the same artwork. I actually thing that it depends on their mood. So it helped me to make a resume that works- When you do not give abstract elements separately, do not give human figures separately but when you mix and combine it. It really touches the viewers. I think it's because you don't impose your vision on anyone. And give more space to people for their thinking and understanding of artwork. That’s why I am sure to resonate this style with people.
Your process starts with sketches from live models and evolves into larger canvases. Could you describe how you decide which sketches are successful enough to be transformed into bigger works? Additionally, how do you envision the role of the viewer in interacting with your art, given that the human bodies in your canvases are 'completely open' to them?
I think I answered your second question first because it really triggered me) I think good artwork should baffle viewers and Good Art should provoke people's emotions. And the emotion of viewers is an artist’s prize and reward. If people come to your art, being melancholic or calm and after viewing your ART, change nothing, your job is not good, it is mediocrity. Kandinsky told about it in his books and wondered for what art evoke standard and dull emotions. Like for example, when people say with boredom in their voices, looking at the artwork in the exhibition: “Oh, this is like in my country house place”, and pass by to the next art. No, the main goal of artist is to make the viewers stop before the artwork and make them think so much that everything else doesn't exist for them. Otherwise, what is art for?
To create within the frames that were created before you with your predecessors and repeat it? No, we need to create something new that will evoke new feelings for self-recognition of us. Best sketches that I convey to a canvas come to me only intuitively, I never wait for it and never plan to while I work with models. But when I feel that it is very close to being on a canvas, I feel it with my body, somewhere on my back, and everything inside of me says: “Yes, it is. “
Could you walk us through a typical day in your studio? How do you balance routine tasks with more creative aspects in your art-making process?
I think most artists are working 24 hours a day, and it’s normal for creative people. Also, I like to draw in every bar or restaurant, and it’s a pleasure, not routine and your job at the same time. When you draw a lot, your skills get better anyway, and drawing is fundamental to everything. So, let’s come back to a question - Balancing routine tasks with creative tasks is not difficult unless you do only creative tasks. And it is not a joke) Because when you paint or draw - this is a job and it engrosss you , at the same time your routine tasks demand attention, but for example me- I try to avoid it or leave it for the last moment. As I have not any assistants. But the paintings themselves will not be sold! So you need to make yourself do this routine and choose a special time for the job, tune yourself to be patient, maybe light up some candles to create a pleasant atmosphere for the unpleasant job)) Also I like to combine a walk to mail, for shipping artwork to buyers with buying some tasty coffee after or something else, which gives me pleasure. I spend about 5-6 hours in my studio. Usually, I don’t use my iPhone in the studio, so I spend my time very purposefully, only painting. Believe me, 5 hours are enough for productive work while standing on your feet because I have never painted sitting on a chair.
The workshop at the Marina Abramovich Institute must have been a significant experience. How has this influenced your approach to physicality and performance in your art?
This workshop is the most unusual experience in my art practice, first of all it rebuilds your system of understanding yourself completely. Then, it changed your art vision, and as for me it was like I’d got a new vision of my art . You feel it like , have a vision and understanding, how exactly it should be without any doubts. And this is a very valuable tool for artists, because most of us, can be very self-critical about our art. I know it from books, but even Picasso was not sure about his famous artwork “ Avignon girls” and didn’t show it immediately to audience. After Marina Abramovich's workshop this feeling of uncertainty comes down and you get more confidence about your art. Maybe it’s because you understand yourself better. I am really grateful to Marina for this experience.
With your diverse academic background, how have you managed to synthesize these influences into your own recognizable style, especially in the context of the Russian art scene?
Before my plan to study At Marina Abramovich Institute, I was really engrossed in searching for something new to add to my art. It is not about some new color or material of course, it is something more deep in conveying the human body in a new style, which nobody did before me. I was ready to synthesize something new to my style. In other words, I did my own style became more recognizable after M. Abramovich's workshop. My new experience can have only positive influences on the Contemporary Art scene in Russia because now I broadcast new visions and interesting ideas in this living for millennia theme of the Human body.
You've spoken about the artist's role in providing alternative perspectives. How do you see your work contributing to broader conversations or societal reflections?
My art always evokes a lot of conversations and controversial opinions between people, after any off-line appearances, I mean exhibitions, and the same online. Mostly, people like my art and send me a lot of positive comments about how it makes them rethink their perception or sense of human bodies. I am happy because my art makes them think and rethink. They do articles in their blogs or magazines, contemplate my artwork, or even students wright a scientific paper on one of my paintings. But sometimes, Fortunately, this is not such a common case; people can be impolite in expressing their opinions. I think it is their inner deep problems and the artwork can trigger the problem, and they react to it in such a way. But for me, any reaction to the artwork is good. Otherwise, you create nothing.
Looking ahead, are there any new directions or projects you are particularly excited about exploring in your art?
It is my favorite question) Because I am always exploring something in my art. The most awful thing for me was becoming a repetitive artist. I understand that it is the most difficult thing to be recognizable and have your own style and at the same time create new, exploring new facets of the human body is quite a difficult task. But that makes it more interesting. You don't become a hostage to your own style, but gradually introduce something new from your research into the picture.
