Sofia Yalalova
Sofia in her studio.
Sofia Yalalova was born in 1980 in Orenburg and currently resides and works in Moscow. She graduated from the Orenburg Art School and the Moscow State Law Academy. She works with an oil painting medium. Sofia's works are in private collections in Poland and Russia. Since 2006 Member of the Union of Artists of Russia. After moving to Moscow, she received additional training from the “New artistic strategies” class at the Institute of Contemporary Art. She participated in many group exhibitions and art fairs, including the Exhibition Center "Museum of Fashion" and the Central House of Artists in Moscow. In her series of portraits of children, the artist reflects on the formation of a child's personality. By exposing characters to the color-flooded plane background, she lends them a surreal, timeless quality, denying the viewer any form of a narrative about their identity.
Can you tell us a bit about the process of making your work?
I am working in the traditional technique of oil painting on canvas.
Sofia in her studio
What are you working on at the moment?
Currently I am doing a series of children's portraits in a realistic manner against the solid-colored backgrounds. It is interesting for me to reflect on the birth and formation of the personality of modern children. Since my childhood was in a completely different era, it is interesting for me to observe children now, when technology is so closely intertwined with our everyday reality.
What does the background in your works symbolize?
The opaque colored background in my work symbolizes the process of growth and development, it helps me to focus all my attention on the portraits. It is also important for me to immerse the viewer in a timeless perception, to shift the viewer's focus to the portrait of a child as much as possible, his childhood dreams, experiences and feelings.
Sofia in her studio
What are some references you draw upon in your work? Are there any themes in particular that you like to focus on when creating?
As a reference, I am interested in studying the works of old masters, such as Rembrandt, Jan Vermeer, Albert Dürer.
Where are some of your favorite spaces that support contemporary art or design? Now that the art has an online presence has that changed?
My source for studying contemporary art and design has always been and remains primarily the Internet, social networks, mostly Instagram. When I had the opportunity to travel more around the world, I always visited museums and galleries in different cities.
Sofia Yalalova
I have a dream, 2018.
Oil on canvas.
47 x 39 inches (119.38 x 99.06 cm).
$1705
Do you have any shows coming up? Anything else you would like to share?
On May 13th, I opened a joint exhibition with Marsel Yalalov in Moscow in the gallery of Gamma Art artist residency. It will be on view through May 23rd.
Thank you!
Sofia Yalalova’s work is included in our show “The Alternative States,” May 3 - June 30, 2021. Visit her Instagram (@sofia_yalalova) to see more of her work.