Dark Painting

My name is Gergana Balabanova. I graduated in 2018 with a bachelor's degree and in 2020 with a master's degree in Painting in the National academy of arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. My work is а reflection of my inner world, experience and emotions that everyday life in our society creates in me. Being a person of extremes and contrast defines my art. Duality and conflicting oppositions, as well as the question of reality and truth, have been subjects that follow me trough life and thus are often recurring in my art. My art is a way to connest to people without using words and although being very personal it is still relatable. For me it is important to express what a person carries in himself without verbalizing it and thus connect people on a deeper subconscious level. Landscape, portrait, interiors and figure intertwine and the boundary between them blurs. Plain everyday objects turn into symbols and build a poetic narrative. Contrasting vivid colors that range to monochrome and muted are the most instinctive way for me to express and perceive emotions. I value open ending and the feeling of having something left unsaid, of having something more to it than just what strikes you at first glance. This results in creating imagery that is shrouded in mysticism. Using metaphors in my art is just as important as it is in poetry for the works to be thought provoking and challenge one's imagination.