Andriy Korinny

My work exists at the intersection of figurative, abstract, and symbolic art. I am interested in the fragile boundary where recognizable forms begin to dissolve into abstraction — and how perception itself reshapes what we see. A recurring theme in my paintings is transformation: of identity, of thought, of reality under the influence of internal and external forces. I can use visual systems — such as optical distortions, repetition, fragmentation, or ornamental structures — as metaphors for how the mind processes experience. Such works are focused on the act of seeing and lenses, reflections, patterns, and layered imagery become conceptual tools rather than just aesthetic choices. I am also interested in searching the synergy between historical visual languages and contemporary ideas. References to prior to 20th century traditions may be recontextualized within modern frameworks which I consider as a form of contemporary lens. This allows me to get more informative look at human perception, identity, illusion, inner freedom.
My works are usually dense and detail-rich. I deliberately construct images that unfold over time, inviting slow looking. They may appear decorative, but closer observation may reveal tension, ambiguity, and ...

I’m 50+ and still a beginner in fine art. As a teenager, I attended intensive art classes and even considered an art career. However, at 15, when I entered university, I chose physics instead. I later earned a Master’s degree in nuclear physics and a PhD in nuclear engineering. By mid-twenties, I was leading a laboratory, several years later a department; and by mid-thirties I became an expert for an UN agency. I have never regretted that path. But by the time I turned 50, I had a growing feeling of “going round the prickly pear at five o’clock in the morning” (T.S. Eliot). I paused my career and reconsidered my priorities and lifestyle.
In the years that followed, I spent my time hiking 12 to 50 km a day, reading books I had long postponed, and studying art — making studies after Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, and Claude Monet.
It took me a while to dare to paint my own first piece — and it was exciting. My work is likely shaped by my previous professional background, but I see that influence more as a kind of seasoning than a flaw.