10 Questions with Nataliya Lemesheva

Al-Tiba9 Art Magazine ISSUE16 | Featured Artist

Born and raised in Voronezh, Russia, Nataliya Lemesheva has been actively drawing and painting since childhood and has participated in various exhibitions. In 2019 she graduated from the Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after V.I.Surikov. Together with a group of fellow students, she created an art association called "Workshop 18". In 2020, she moved to Spain, to the province of Barcelona, Cabrils, where she actively participates in the European community of artists in exhibitions and fairs. In Spain, she found a new territory to explore not only herself in new circumstances but also the issue of borders within the framework of a different cultural code that had opened up to her. Her work is a synthesis of anthropological, cultural, and psychological research. In her projects, Door and Shadows, she explores issues of immigration, adaptation, and integration of immigrants who immerse themselves in a different social environment based on her own experience. In 2024, she is participating with Shadow15 in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London.

lemesheva.com | @nlemesheva_art

ARTIST STATEMENT

Nataliya's artistic practice revolves around the concept of non-duality — the understanding that all phenomena are ultimately interconnected and indivisible. In her works, she strives to show the blurring of boundaries between opposites, such as light and dark, internal and external, familiar and foreign, abstraction and realism. 

At the heart of her project is the use of shadows as a means of exploring the inner world of a person, their emotions, aspirations, and undiscovered aspects of personality. A shadow is a metaphorical boundary that differentiates and connects the visible and invisible, consciousness and subconsciousness. In working with shadows, Nataliya engages in the process of self-discovery and the relationship with oneself. For her, it is a search for the empirical "self" through the articulation of feelings and memories of a moment. Shadows are a kind of symbolic drawing of the world, the connection between the internal, subjective realm and the external world.

AL-TIBA9 ART MAGAZINE ISSUE16

INTERVIEW

How did you get involved with art, and what influenced you to follow this path? 

From a young age, I was deeply immersed in art, but my first professional education was in economics. At that time, the situation in Russia was difficult, and I couldn't afford to pursue an art education right away. 
Although I had a successful career in the economic field, my passion for art never faded; in fact, it grew even stronger. I was attending a workshop by a renowned Russian artist. I studied dry pastel drawing through online courses, created paintings, and conducted workshops. 
Only after the birth of my children was I able to pursue a professional art education, enroll at the Surikov Art Institute, and  fully dedicate myself to art.

How did you develop into the artist you are today? What training or experiences help you shape your practice and persona?

My journey to becoming the artist I am today has been shaped by a combination of formal education, personal experiences, and an unwavering commitment to creative growth.
Pursuing formal education at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute was a pivotal step in my artistic journey. Upon graduating in 2019, I developed both technical skills and a deeper conceptual foundation for my work. The academic environment exposed me to diverse artistic theories and practices, broadening my creative perspectives. Collaborating with fellow artists to establish the art collective "Workshop 18" was another defining moment. This initiative provided a collaborative platform for artistic exchange and experimentation, which played a key role in pushing the boundaries of my practice.
My move to Spain in 2020 introduced a new horizon to my art. The cultural shift inspired me to explore themes of identity, immigration, and adaptation, as reflected in my projects "Doors" and "Shadows." This experience of navigating and integrating into a new culture has profoundly influenced my artistic vision and expression. Since moving to Spain, I have actively participated in exhibitions and contemporary art practices. These opportunities have allowed me to connect with a broader audience and receive feedback that has been instrumental in shaping my current artistic explorations.
The evolution of my artistic identity is a dynamic and ongoing process, continually influenced by the experiences, education, and cultural contexts that shape my work.

How did your upbringing in Voronezh, Russia, and your education at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute influence your early work?

Growing up in Voronezh, Russia, significantly influenced my early work, as the city has a strong tradition of painting. Even as a child, I was deeply inspired by the beauty of nature around me. I loved to draw on plein air, spending hours observing and capturing the subtle nuances of color, form, light, and shadow. This early passion for nature and keen attention to detail laid the foundation for my artistic journey.
My education at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute further refined these skills. The institute had a strong emphasis on drawing from nature, where truthful and unembellished depictions of objects were highly valued by our teachers. This approach aligned perfectly with my early interests, allowing me to develop a style grounded in realism and observation.
At the Surikov Institute, I was also introduced to the impasto technique, a method of painting with thick, bold brushstrokes. This approach, combined with a palette inspired by the muted tones of Moscow's natural environment, added a new dimension to my work. The emphasis on impasto and the careful study of nature helped me create pieces that are both texturally rich and emotionally resonant, reflecting my deep connection to the landscapes and traditions that shaped my early years.

You later moved to Spain, which significantly shifted your life and work. How did this environmental change impact your creative process and the themes you explore in your art?

Moving to Spain in 2020 marked a pivotal moment in both my life and artistic practice. The vibrant Spanish environment, with its vivid colors, stark shadows, and unique architecture, inspired me to break free from the constraints of classical art. I began delving into contemporary art, exploring its history, the intricacies of the art world, and how to build compelling concepts within this new framework. 
The shift wasn't just about adopting new techniques; it was deeply personal. The theme for my work started to reflect my own experiences as an immigrant. After the initial euphoria of the move subsided, I faced the harsh realities of being and gave way to the challenges of adapting to a new culture, the isolation of not knowing the language, and the stress of being far from family and friends. 
In Russia, I was deeply embedded in the art community. The move to Spain, however, left me feeling isolated in a new artistic environment where I knew no one. I found myself quietly observing from the sidelines, feeling invisible within the broader art community. This sense of being in the shadows, both literally and figuratively, has profoundly influenced the themes I now explore in my work, focusing on identity, belonging, and the contrasts between light and dark, both in the physical and metaphorical sense.

Can you describe the collaborative dynamic within your art association "Workshop 18" and how it has influenced your practice?

In "Workshop 18," we have embraced a truly collaborative approach, where each member has contributed equally and hastaken on various roles in turn. We've collectively developed exhibition concepts, selected curators from within our group, scouted exhibition venues, and sought out sponsors. Additionally, we have written articles, designed and printed catalogs, and handled all these responsibilities on a rotating basis. This democratic and team-oriented dynamic fostered a strong sense of camaraderie and productivity, allowing us to work efficiently and creatively as a unit.
This collaborative experience has significantly influenced my personal practice, particularly in adapting to the art scene in Spain. The skills I honed in "Workshop 18"—from curating to managing logistics—have proven invaluable as I navigate the challenges of establishing myself in a new country. The ability to wear multiple hats, so to speak, has given me the confidence to approach my work with a broader perspective, understanding not just the creative process but also the practical aspects of bringing art to the public. Moreover, the emphasis on teamwork and equal contribution has reinforced my belief in the power of collaboration, even as I work more independently now. 

Your projects, such as "Door" and "Shadows," delve into themes of immigration and adaptation. How do these themes reflect your personal experiences as an immigrant in Spain?

The themes of immigration and adaptation in my projects "Doors" and "Shadows" are deeply rooted in my personalexperiences as an immigrant in Spain. When I moved to Spain in 2020, I was confronted with the challenges of navigating a new culture, language, and social environment. This transition was both exciting and overwhelming, and it significantly influenced the direction of my art.
In the "Doors" project, I explore the metaphor of doors as boundaries and opportunities—representing the thresholds we cross when we leave behind the familiar and step into the unknown. For me, each door symbolizes a moment of choice and change, mirroring my own journey of leaving Russia and adapting to life in Spain. The act of opening a door becomes an exploration of identity, a passage from one state of being to another, and a reflection on the duality of inclusion and exclusion that immigrants often experience. I find myself in a liminal space, not yet in but no longer out, in a kind of anteroom.
"The Doors" project is a series of portraits of homeowners without a traditional portrait. This tradition has been known to us since the heyday of Dutch genre painting, where the portrait of the hero was framed by interior details that revealed his character. I create my works in stages: I collect reliable photographic documentation, analyze the subject content and architectural features of local cultural buildings, and then turn to my emotional experiences and transfer them to canvas.
A door is a unique structural element that defines and helps to bridge the boundary between two spaces: external and internal. It is an amazing object of existence, surrounded on both sides by a multitude of spaces and events, expressing a unique character and, at the same time, openness to the world. That is why I chose them as the most eloquent elements, representing not only individual personalities but also the collective identity of the inhabitants of a certain region. The experience of portraiting architectural details opens up the opportunity to imagine life in interiors. This essentiallyapophenic act does not provide any guarantee that people are exactly what they seem to be. However, the very appeal to such a model of the imaginary makes it possible to establish connections between invisible aspects of the world. In addition, the endless search for these connections gives me the opportunity to adapt to a new country, find support in a liminal state-space, and re-establish the connection between my own inner self and the outside world.
Similarly, the "Shadows" project delves into the unseen and often unspoken aspects of the immigrant experience. Shadows, by nature, are elusive and transient, much like the sense of belonging that can be hard to grasp in a new country. Through this project, I express the inner conflicts and emotions that come with being a stranger —feelings of invisibility, the struggle to adapt, and the persistent search for one's place in a foreign land. The shadows in my paintings are not just dark reflections; they are symbolic of the internal journey of self-discovery and the continuous process of integrating into a new society. As a person who recently moved to a foreign country, I remain "in the shadows" of everyone, and from there, I observe life flowing by.
The basis of this project is the use of shadows as a means to explore the inner world of a person, his emotions, aspirations, and unknown aspects of personality. Shadow is a metaphorical feature that distinguishes and connects the visible and the invisible, consciousness and subconscious, friends and foes. In working with shadows, I update the process of self-knowledge and relationships with myself and with others. For me, it is the search for the experiential self through the articulation of my feelings and memories of the moment. Shadows are a kind of symbolic drawing of the world, a substrate of images that is capable of projecting and demonstrating the connection of the internal, subjective with the external world.
These themes of immigration and adaptation in my work are a direct reflection of my daily life, my personal challenges, and my evolving sense of identity in a new cultural context. My art serves as a way to process and communicate the complexities of being an immigrant, transforming personal experiences into a universal narrative that resonates with others who have faced similar journeys.

Your work emphasizes non-duality and the interconnectedness of all phenomena. How do you visually represent the blurring of boundaries between opposites in your art?

In my exploration of shadows, non-duality is central. My work expresses the non-binary shades and meanings of visuality, moving beyond black and white. Shadows in my art challenge familiar patterns and open new ways of perceiving the world. I seek a balance between abstraction and recognizable natural elements, using a wide palette to create movement and energy within shadows, where light and dark blend, showing that one cannot exist without the other. 
Through subtle color transitions and gradients, I evoke a sense of harmony, symbolizing the continuous flow and connection between different states of being. By articulating the visuality of shadows, I encourage reflection on the essence of things and events, inviting viewers to abandon dualistic perception and embrace the unity and interconnection of all things. This concept is also present in other projects, such as "The Door," which symbolizes both entry and exit, openness and closure, within a single image. 
Dualistic thinking, which divides the world into black and white, limits people and often leads to conflict. It traps us in opposition to the world, to nature, and to others. Through my art, I aim to transcend these limitations, showing that between opposites lies an infinite range of shades where boundaries blur, creating something new and whole. I want to inspire viewers to move beyond their usual perspectives, find harmony in the unity of opposites, and recognize the interconnectedness of all things. My goal is to help people see beyond apparent dualities and understand the underlying unity that connects everything.

Shadows play a central role in your exploration of the inner world and self-discovery. Can you explain the significance of shadows in your work and how they serve as a metaphor for the internal and external realms?

Shadows in my work serve as a profound metaphor for both the internal and external realms, reflecting the complexity of human experience and the nature of reality. Philosophically, shadows have been explored by many thinkers, each offering a unique perspective that resonates with the themes in my art.
Plato's allegory of the cave, for instance, uses shadows to symbolize the illusions and incomplete perceptions that people take as reality. This idea of shadows as partial truths aligns with my exploration of the blurred boundaries between light and dark, seen and unseen. In my work, shadows are not merely the absence of light but a dynamic presence that invites viewers to question what lies beneath the surface of their perceptions.
Carl Jung's concept of the shadow is also deeply influential in my approach. Jung described the shadow as the unconscious aspects of the psyche—those parts of ourselves that we suppress or deny. In my art, shadows represent these hidden elements, encouraging a journey of self-discovery and integration. Just as Jung believed that embracing the shadow is essential for personal growth, I use shadows to symbolize the need to confront and reconcile the darker, unacknowledged parts of our inner world.
Friedrich Nietzsche also spoke of shadows, suggesting they symbolize the darker, more instinctual sides of human nature that society often seeks to repress. My work invites viewers to explore these aspects, not as something to be feared but as integral parts of the whole self. By bringing these shadows to light, I aim to challenge dualistic thinking and encourage a more nuanced understanding of human nature.
Martin Heidegger's thoughts on shadows, as remnants of the past that shape our present, further inform my work. Shadows, in this sense, are tied to memory and the passage of time, reminding us that our past experiences continue to influence our present actions and perceptions. My art seeks to capture this fluidity between past and present, light and dark, known and unknown.
In essence, shadows in my work are a way to bridge the internal and external, to explore the interplay between what we see and what we sense, between the conscious and the unconscious. By drawing on the insights of these philosophers, I aim to create art that not only reflects the complexity of the human experience but also invites viewers to delve deeper into their own understanding of the world and themselves.

What new themes or concepts are you excited to explore in your future projects, and how do you see your work evolving?

In the future, I intend to explore new themes and concepts that will expand the boundaries of my creativity. I am striving to go beyond traditional techniques such as canvas and oil, and I am currently actively mastering new methods, including linocut, textiles, knitting, sculpture, and ceramics. Recently, I started creating ceramic works, such as doors, although they remain behind the scenes for now. I am also interested in mixing various mediums to express my ideas and concepts more accurately.
The theme of freedom continues to hold an important place in my work. I explore the freedom of nations, the freedom of women, and the freedom of choice—concepts that began to take shape in my works in 2020 and remain significant to me.
I understand that as a person, I am constantly changing, and this inevitably reflects in my art. My preferences, views, and aspirations evolve, leading to new directions in my creative search. Creativity is a path that is unpredictable and full of surprises. I am open to new ideas and ready for experimentation, aiming to explore uncharted territories and share my discoveries with the world.

Your upcoming participation in the RA Summer Exhibition in London with "Shadow15" is an exciting opportunity. What can you tell us about this piece, and what do you hope to convey through it?

I am very happy and proud that my painting was selected among the top 1,000 from over 30,000 works submitted by more than 16,000 artists from around the world. This is a great honor for me and a recognition that my work holds value in the art world.
The Summer Exhibition in the Royal Academy of Art  in  London, is the largest and most popular open exhibition in the United Kingdom It is also "the longest continuously staged exhibition of contemporary art in the world".The first Summer Exhibition took place in 1769; it has been held every year since without exception.

For the exhibition, I presented the piece "Shadows 15. Behind the Blinds." The central focus of the painting is the depiction of shadows from the branches of bushes, penetrating through the unevenly closed blinds in my home. The light gently falls on the wall, creating smooth transitions between bright and shadowed areas. The shadows on the wall appear almost abstract as if they are forming their own world, where the boundaries between opposites are blurred, and the distinction between light and shadow becomes less obvious.
The blinds, which limit the direct access of light, symbolize both restriction and the opportunity to look beyond the visible to see the depth and complexity of the world. They suggest to the viewer that we can only glimpse into another person's home, into their soul, to the extent that they allow. And most importantly, they remind us that we cannot judge something based solely on its shadow.
The background of the painting is rendered in soft, muted tones, allowing the interplay of light and shadow to take center stage. These subdued shades emphasize the layered and multifaceted nature of the reality surrounding us, where simple things, like the shadows on a wall, can lead us to deep reflections and convey profound philosophical concepts and experiences.
Through the shadowy images in this painting, as in many others, I aim to show that the world is not black and white, that there is an infinite number of transitions and shades between these poles, and that it is within these transitions that true beauty and harmony are born.
I hope that participating in this prestigious exhibition will pave the way for me to other exhibitions and galleries of the same or even higher level.