Interview
Svetlana Malakhova
Svetlana Malakhova is a Russian born artist, who creates paintings and graphics with a human theme. Her artwork is in collections in Russia, USA, Europe, Japan and China.
Svetlana says that her great inspiration is people and the whole of humanity, in all forms and aspects, in any interaction - either in an environment or between themselves. Her concept is that only a human can depict another human. This is our privilege. Her idea is to develop this theme in the best depiction of humanity.
Svetlana always knew that she would mostly paint and draw figuratively. Her art is a composition about people. Today, she is doing deep research on humans in her artwork. This includes exploring human bodies in a morgue, like Leonardo da Vinci, doing many sketches of anatomized bodies, to understand the theme literally from the inside.
Her art tells about people, about ourselves, as a main component of everything in existence. In fact, Svetlana shows people themselves from different sides and different points of view. We are all one unit. She puts as much emotion and energy into every artwork as she can, to lead people out of their comfort zone, and make them put aside their phones and ask "What is that?"
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My background in the arts is built from 4 different schools: Stroganov Academy of Art in Moscow, 4 years, Saint-Petersburg Academy of Art named after Repin, about 1.5 years, as well as briefly studying in Florence Academy of Art and New York Academy of Art. The main focus in these Academies was always the human element. I was always really engaged in the theme of anatomy and humans during the process of study, and tried to get as much knowledge as I could.
Of course, I have been doing landscapes and still life, but it doesn't involve me as deeply as the human theme. Also I am really proud of my experience of studying anatomy in a morgue, like Leonardo Da Vinci, where I had the opportunity to literally study people from the inside.”
What inspires you most?
“For me, people are not just people. They are: portraits, bodies, plexus of bodies, flesh, feeling, and so many many other things, which I can't describe, that is why I am using art as a language - it really helps me to depict all my thoughts about people and what I feel about them. Only people inspire me strongly.”
“My message is simple - know yourself, you are a miracle. For me, people are miracles.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“The theme I pursue - people - is something I am developing and really enjoying, creating new media in graphics, trying to find new ways of depicting people in painting. I am using a lot of knowledge such as composition (which was important during my study), color science, understanding forms and many others. This helps me to create and expand my skills.”
How would you describe your work?
“First of all it is an idea, a concept, a thought, then it is a process of creation. In the process, I can do routine things, such as sketching and seeking composition, and also other very creative things. But it is always a process of creation.”
Which artists influence you most?
“London's School of Art and its representatives like Lucian Freud, Jenny Saville and many others, have acted as a big influence on me. I have many books of these artists and always use them during my work. I tear out pages from their books and glue it on the walls in my studio, take books with me at launch time, and explore their every page, which inspires me . Also Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo greatly inspire me, and again, I tear out pages from books, paste the walls and begin the process of creation.”
What is your creative process like?
“The process is first all an idea. I am involved in the process most of the day, and if I don't paint I think about it. If I don't draw in the studio, I am doing sketches in restaurants. I think artist's are involved in the creative process most of their life.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The role of artists has been important throughout human history, and as people evolve the same can be said about the role of artists. But I can tell you what is the most important thing in an artist's role - to be able to give an alternative perspective to the things we all face. This allows artists to help people see life anew, even in ordinary and usual things.”
Instagram: @sveta_malakhoff
