10 Questions with Anna Gaikovich

Anna Gaikovich is a contemporary artist who specializes in mixed techniques. She resides in Armenia, where she creates her art. Her education encompasses both classical and modern art forms, providing a diverse foundation for her work.

Raised in a multicultural environment within the Eastern Europe region in the early 2000s, Anna experienced a unique blend of Western culture and local traditions. This diverse background is evident in her art, where influences from street art, graffiti, and Greek sculptures coalesce, forming the basis of her distinctive style that blends a variety of elements and techniques.

From a young age, Anna has been attuned to the contrasts and contradictions in our lives, in the broad sense. She highlights these aspects in her artwork, inviting viewers to explore deeper meanings and perspectives.

Anna actively collaborates with international galleries in the USA and Europe. Her works are part of private collections in the USA, Austria, and the United Kingdom.

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ARTIST STATEMENT

Anna Gaikovich is an artist dedicated to exploring life's contrasts and contradictions through the transformation of artistic mediums and themes. Anna reflects these issues through a unique art creation method known as metacollaging, which involves a mix of non-obvious elements, colors, figurative elements, and abstractions.

She concentrates not only on visual contrasts but also on contrasts at the conceptual level. In her works, the artist addresses social subjects, currently focusing on contemporary society's perspectives on women's beauty. For example, her last project was dedicated to the contradiction between society's standards of women's beauty and women's beauty and their portrayal from her perspective. The artist highlights the beauty of the real bodies of women, celebrating the beauty of 'imperfection'.

Regarding means of expression, she also uses the contrasting mediums, colors and techniques. For example, her latest works are based on the deconstruction of female images and experiments blending figurative art with abstract expression. She creates a harmony building a contradiction between figurative bodies and chaotic elements such as doodles and texts.

Through her art, Anna invites viewers to engage in a dialogue about our reality, especially concerning our social contrasts and contradictions.

INTERVIEW

First of all, let's talk about your background. When and how did you start getting involved with art? 

I began drawing in my childhood and pursued an art education, where I explored both classical and contemporary techniques. Despite this strong foundation, I initially doubted that my creativity could sustain me financially. Thus, I spent several years in the advertising industry, working as a creative. This experience was invaluable, but my true passion for art continued to grow. I constantly engaged in personal art projects and participated in international exhibitions. Realizing my potential and driven by my unwavering passion, I eventually made the decisive leap to become a full-time artist.

And how did you develop into the artist you are today?

My artistic development has been a journey of persistent practice and experimentation. Balancing my time between my job in advertising and my personal art projects, I explored various avenues to break into the art market. This journey is ongoing, but the pivotal moment came when I chose to fully commit to my art. Now, I'm represented by Teravarna Gallery in the USA and actively sell my works across multiple platforms, participating in international exhibitions and fairs.

Let's talk about your work. What inspired you to work with painting? And why did you choose this medium specifically?

My choice of medium, painting, was heavily influenced by the legacy of abstract expressionism, as seen in Pollock's work, and the deconstruction approach of Picasso. Additionally, the artistic traditions of Brancusi and Modigliani's reinterpretations have deeply shaped my visual taste. I feel that painting offers me the freedom to express my ideas and concepts most vividly, allowing me to infuse my work with the transformational elements of early 20th-century art.

How do you choose the subjects to paint? And where do you find inspiration for your work?

My approach to finding inspiration and choosing subjects is quite intellectual. I immerse myself in a variety of art lectures and closely follow international exhibitions. This intellectual engagement continually fuels my creativity, enabling me to find new images and form ideas. I'm particularly drawn to themes of corporeality, exploring the boundary between abstraction and figurativeness. This theme, I believe, resonates universally, as it delves into the bodily experience that unites all people.

What is your creative process like? Do you have any specific rules or routines when working? 

My creative process is deeply connected to my state of mind. I've learned that it's crucial to work on what resonates with me at the moment, giving myself the freedom to explore ideas that have matured in my mind. A unique aspect of my technique is drawing with both hands simultaneously, which helps me break away from conventional forms and infuse my work with spontaneity and freedom.

You work with both figurative images and abstraction. How would you define your style? And how has it evolved over the years?

My style is a blend of abstraction and figurativeness, which I like to call 'meta-collage.' It's a mix of traditional drawing techniques and contemporary, expressive methods. I'm currently focusing on a series titled 'Shapes in Lines,' exploring minimal figurativeness. Here, I use images of the body to create works that resonate on a personal level with viewers, allowing them to find their own associations and meanings.

What is for you the most enjoyable part of your work? And what do you find more difficult to tackle?

The most enjoyable part is when I let go of control and allow my creativity to flow freely. The challenging aspect is constantly experimenting with new tools and techniques, which is essential for growth but often daunting. I've learned to set aside my initial impressions of new work, returning to it later with fresh eyes to assess its true impact. This approach helps me manage the self-criticism that often accompanies trying something new.

What do you hope that the public takes away from your work? Or what messages would you like to communicate with your paintings? 

My art aims to connect with the viewer's personal experiences, conveying my own emotions and perspectives. Many of my works challenge social standards of beauty and explore the boundaries of creativity. For instance, in my series contrasting the 'Instagram body' with my perception of beauty, I highlight the unique attractiveness I see in what are often deemed imperfections. This theme is a continuation of a long-standing tradition in art, reflecting the universal relevance and depth of the human body as a subject.

What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future in terms of new projects? 

At the moment, I'm deeply immersed in a new series of paintings, which I'll be showcasing at Teravarna Gallery in the USA. This series is a bold exploration of corporeality, drawing inspiration from real-life figures to capture the essence of the human form through a balance of abstraction and figurativeness. My future plans include developing new thematic series and exploring collaborative opportunities in the art world.

Finally, do you have any upcoming shows or collaborations you are looking forward to?

I'm preparing to embark on a significant journey by relocating to Spain. This move is fueled by my admiration for Spain's rich visual culture and art scene. I am eager to immerse myself in this new environment, believing it will profoundly influence my artistic growth and style. Additionally, I am planning to participate in prominent art shows such as the Superfine Artshow and the LA Artshow with Teravarna Gallery. These opportunities represent significant milestones in my career, fulfilling long-held aspirations and offering a platform to reach a broader audience with my work.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.