Alina Vinogradova
Alina Vinogradova is an artist living and working in Russia. Her vibrant work tiptoes the boundary between fantasy and reality through its mysterious narrative and colorful characters. Her work, Soma, is currently included in Project Gallery V’s exhibition “The Alternative States.”
Can you tell us a bit about the process of making your work?
My studio is located at home and therefore I work constantly. I usually take a very long time to prepare. Before work, I practice yoga, stand on Sadhu board, and arrange tea ceremonies for myself. These are mandatory rituals, and I can't work without them. Then, I dive into painting for the rest of the day.
What are you working on at the moment?
I am now finishing a large painting called "Seleucia." It is an ancient city on the Tigris River.
So many of your works include fantasy, are they telling a story? Where is it that these paintings take place in your mind?
I am inspired by ancient religions and myths. And often the narratives in my works begin there. But usually I don't come up with a plot in advance or make sketches. I fantasize by painting directly on canvas. And only then, I come up with a story and a name. This is a powerful creative flow from my soul, which I myself sometimes wonder at.
Alina Vinogradova
Soma, 2019-2020.
Oil on canvas.
78.7 × 59 inches (199.898 x 149.86 cm).
What are some references you draw upon in your work? Are there any themes in particular that you like to focus on when creating?
Now I have become more attracted to the history of my ancestors. I started studying Old Slavic Paganism. Two of my recent works are about this. I want to dive even deeper into the topic. There are a lot of interesting themes there.
Where are some of your favorite spaces that support contemporary art or design? Now that the art has an online presence has that changed?
In Moscow, I really like the Garage, Triumph Gallery and the new gallery space Hide, it just opened recently and was founded by a fellow-artist Aziza. There's always something interesting going on there. Just recently, my friends opened an independent artistic collective space, called WIP. It hosts exhibitions of contemporary artists, art festivals, jazz improv nights, and more. I also exhibited there in a group exhibition. With the advent of online presence, nothing has changed, just another opportunity has appeared. It seems that there are even more offline exhibitions, at least in Moscow.
Do you have any shows coming up? Anything else you would like to share?
In June, I will have a small project in Armenia, I am preparing for it now. And there will be a group exhibition in July curated by Arina Novak.
Alina Vinogradova’s work is included in our show “The Alternative States,” May 3 - June 30, 2021. Visit her Instagram (@alina.vinogradina) to see more of her work.