"My opposite-self" Drawing

Born in Riga, Latvia, Lu Orlova, combining European and oriental background is a contemporary mixed-media artist whose work exists at the intersection of European precision and Eastern mysticism. With a practice spanning painting, drawing, and sculpture, she creates visceral compositions that oscillate between controlled technique and emotional spontaneity—where every stroke serves as both confession and confrontation. "Art has always been a vital part of my life. To draw is like breathing to me. It’s a part of my nature". **Artistic Genesis** Orlova's journey began at age four when pencils first met paper in her hands—an act as instinctive as breathing. By twelve, she was the youngest student admitted to Riga’s prestigious Janis Rozentāls Art School, where classical training collided with her irrepressible need to "paint feelings, not just forms." This tension between discipline and rebellion still fuels her work today. **Alchemy of Mediums** A relentless experimenter, Orlova employs everything from liquid acrylics to oxidized metals, often incorporating unconventional materials like texture paste with sand and broken glass or crushed gemstones. Her "Diving Deep" series (ink graphic) explores psychological landscapes, while recent "Elemental" abstract works transform fluid acril and liquid gold into geological dreamscapes. **Global Footprint** Since relocating to London in 2006 (LCCA, *Creative* Magazine features), her art has entered private collections across four continents—from Moscow penthouses to Manhattan lofts. Yet despite international recognition, she remains devoted to the primal act of creation: *"My studio is a battleground where control surrenders to intuition."* **Current Focus** Preparing for 2025’s *Scar Tissue* solo exhibition—a study of cultural displacement through fractured gold leaf, texture and neon botanic world.