Spontaneity is vital aspect of my creative journey, allowing me to break free from rigid structures and expectations. I believe that art thrives in moments of surprise and unplanned discovery. I allow myself to make spontaneous decisions while working. I remain responsive to the energy of the piece. Layering techniques is a transformation itself. This process of layering creates depth and complexity. Some of my best pieces comes from this transformation.
I don’t speculate as to the degree a viewer needs to wade into an image, but I hope there are varying paths from piece to piece. I do hope I’m giving them reason, visually, to spend time with every piece and think about it, gain something from it, enjoy it. When I hear someone’s interpretation that maybe I did not anticipate, I feel the piece is working in a good way — that you can find different ways in for yourself and surprise even me.
Since my art is focused on observer the first step is to connect the audience to my art. To do that I use intensity in my compositions. The intensity of contrast of the elements in the composition, scene- drama, mood - colors I achieve by lines that are shaping the objects in the image by dividing it from the background and connecting it with everything else in the painting. Also, I merge everything else in the painting with this shape like with all other shapes of the composition.
Marilyn Mugot is a French graphic designer and photographer who hails from the Paris suburbs where she began drawing at an early age. Having joined a school of graphic design at the end of her adolescence, she soon found her love of photography supplanting her passion for drawing.
Eric Fischl is an internationally acclaimed American painter and sculptor. His artwork is represented in many distinguished museums throughout the world and has been featured in over one thousand publications. His extraordinary achievements throughout his career have made him one of the most influential figurative painters of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Kenichi Hoshine was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1977. He graduated from The School of Visual Arts in New York City, and currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. He also teaches at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.
Mark Tennant received a B.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art, in Baltimore, and an M.F.A. from the New York Academy of Art, in New York City. For the years 2008 and 2009, he was the Director of Graduate Fine Art Painting at Academy of Art University, in San Francisco, where he had been an instructor since 1998.
Akunyili Crosby was born in Nigeria, where she lived until the age of sixteen. In 1999 she moved to the United States, where she has remained since that time. Her cultural identity combines strong attachments to the country of her birth and to her adopted home, a hybrid identity that is reflected in her work. The artist populates her work with images of family and friends, in scenarios with details derived from everyday domestic experiences in Nigeria and America. These include recollections from the formative years of her upbringing, as well as more recent relationships and experiences. Her work often features an element of self-portrait, as in a series of intimate scenes of the artist with her husband made in the early years of their marriage.
Secundino Hernández's diverse and energetic painting practice resists easy characterisation. His work features intricately structured compositions that mix strong linear elements and rich bursts of colour. Some canvases feature abstracted, atomised forms, while others have more densely overlaid imagery in which it is possible to discern figurative elements.
I love to explore different genres and techniques with my photography and my artworks, some of which are complimentary, and some that are not, but all of them, collectively, continue to meet my creative needs. Creativity for me is a multi-dimensional aspect of who I am. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t mesmerised by light, colours and textures. As a photographer I often view the world in a series of images, whether that’s a potential great street shot, a beautiful landscape or wonderful blends of colours and textures.
Art is a very concise illustration of the perception of reality, storytelling. For me, this is first and foremost about nourishment from color, as each color holds energy. Now, as it gets colder, it’s time to immerse myself in red. One of my artworks is called "Shy/Naked soul", because it is easier to expose the body than the soul. And art is about courage to be yourself. Art is both healing and a journey of self-discovery, and it’s also about continually, endless skill improvement. This is what the human soul longs for—constant growth. And now, at my 46, I feel that my appreciation for life grows with years, and therefore the feelings of happiness or joy of being.
In the pantheon of contemporary art, where the interplay of tradition and modernity often creates fleeting moments of brilliance, Christophe Szpajdel stands as a profound figure who has redefined the aesthetics of logo design and calligraphy. His work transcends mere graphic utility, emerging as a unique confluence of fine art, cultural symbolism, and personal narrative. Known as "Lord of the Logos," Szpajdel’s oeuvre spans decades, mediums, and styles, making him an integral figure in both underground subcultures and the broader art world.
Nian Liu’s artistry is a testament to the transformative power of ceramics, weaving together tradition and innovation in a manner that commands attention and admiration in the contemporary art world. Her practice, rooted in cultural heritage and cross-disciplinary techniques, is a bold declaration of ceramics as not only a craft but also a potent form of storytelling and social commentary. With an interdisciplinary ethos and a focus on footwear as an evocative medium, Nian’s creations emerge as visual and cultural symphonies, harmonizing the old and the new, the tangible and the conceptual.
Jia Min's art is more than a visual spectacle; it is a profound philosophical exploration. At its core, her work is a meditation on resilience and grace in modern femininity. Drawing from her diverse cultural experiences across China, Singapore, London, Chicago, and Copenhagen, she brings a nuanced understanding of the human soul and the complexities of femininity. Trained at the Florence Academy of Art, her works blend the rigor of classical techniques with a modern sensibility that reflects her life’s rich tapestry.
Asli Dogru’s artwork occupies a fascinating realm where the mythical intertwines with the surreal, the ancient collides with the modern, and the viewer is drawn into a profound narrative of timelessness and transformation. Her talent as an artist lies in her ability to blend diverse mediums, philosophies, and imaginative landscapes into visual experiences that are not only aesthetically captivating but also deeply reflective. A visionary in contemporary art, Dogru offers a body of work that is both groundbreaking and meaningful in its exploration of human experience, mythology, and the sublime.
Baiba Ābelīte’s artistry unfolds as a profound dialogue between urbanity and the fragmented rhythms of our 21st-century existence. Her paintings transcend mere representation, carving a niche in the contemporary art landscape as embodiments of a hyper-urbanized, digitally mediated reality. These compositions, painted in her signature technique on industrial metal surfaces, reflect the intricate interplay between human progress, its aestheticization of decay, and the search for meaning within a posthuman framework. This essay celebrates Ābelīte’s unique vision and investigates the critical resonance of her work within the global art discourse.
Gary Wagner’s photography, an enduring homage to the sublime majesty of nature, stands as a masterful testimony to the art form of black-and-white landscape photography. In a modern age saturated with vivid, digitally-enhanced imagery, Wagner’s restrained and meticulous monochromatic palette is a bold declaration of artistic intent, demonstrating a rare discipline and reverence for form, tone, and composition. His photography, spanning over four decades, reflects an unrelenting commitment to capturing nature’s dynamism and subtle grandeur.
Chan Suk On’s artistic journey and her series Loose Pieces represent a critical shift in contemporary conceptual art. With a background in photographic design and fine arts, Chan Suk On has managed to traverse the domains of documentary photography and conceptual art, carving a unique niche in the global art scene. Her work, meticulously constructed from discarded film camera parts, embodies a complex interplay of nostalgia, reinvention, and the materiality of forgotten objects. This essay explores the reasons why Chan Suk On’s art deserves admiration, her position within the art world, and the deeper conceptual frameworks that underpin her practice.
Luana Stebule's contributions to contemporary art are profound and transformative. Her unique ability to distill complex human emotions and societal narratives into vibrant, abstract canvases makes her work not only a feast for the eyes but also a catalyst for introspection and dialogue. Each piece serves as a bridge, connecting diverse global audiences through shared human experiences and emotions, fostering a deeper understanding and empathy across cultural divides.
Zeb Lund’s artworks stand at the intersection of architectural precision, raw emotion, and the boundless explorations of the human condition. His artistic narrative combines profound philosophical inquiry with an unrestrained experimental approach, making his body of work an evocative contribution to the contemporary art scene. Drawing from his architectural training, Lund’s works reflect a fascination with space, time, and ruin, yet transcend technicalities to delve deeply into human experience, emotion, and existential observation.
