Ivilina Kouneva

My creative practice combines decades long devotion to painting on canvas, with more impulsive process of working with paper, making figurative cut outs compositions. Both ways serve my need to deeply understand different human conditions in the ever changing World. My creations are often sourced and triggered by folklore narratives and mythical journeys. Finding links between past and present stories, looking for relations underline the content of my work.
Influences in my work can be traced in several directions. Orthodox murals, Pre renaissance paintings and Magic realism. The colour palette I have developed often reminds of Medieval Christian murals. Intertwining their imagery and symbols with fresh contemporary meaning is essential for me to tell a story.

MA, Fine Arts Painting,"St.St Cyril and Methodius",V,Turnovo,Bulgaria, BA Teacher in Fine Arts

Solo and two- person exhibitions (2010 – )
Fragile Balances, YouNique Wellbeing Center, Bexhill-on-sea,/Feb.-March, 2023/
Eden Revisited, Onetotengallery, October 2022
Every Story Tells a Story / 2018, August-September/, 571 Oxford Rd. Gallery,The Brock Keep, OHOS,Reading, UK
Paintings and works on paper /2015, March -April/ Fleet Gallery,St.Leonards-on-sea, E.Sussex,UK
Faces Places Spaces /2013,June/ More Arts, Wokingham, Berkshire, UK
Different /2012, June/ - Art-house galerie& Kunstforum ,Thun, Switzerland
The Crusade -In-between Realities– /2011, March/- Museum of Humour & Satire, Bulgaria


Selected group exhibitions and participations
Women - a book project, 2020, selected with artwork and text
Chameleon: Contemporary Colour Exhibition – /2019/ – Serface Gallery, Nottingham, UK
Rituals and Rites – /2018/- Artcore Art Gallery, Derby, England
Imago – /2018/- The Brock Keep,OHOS, Reading, England
The Talented Art Fair, Old Trouman Brewery,Ely's Yard - /2017/ London
As it stands: Unrefined Muted Abundant - /2017/ - Hundred Years Gallery, London
Fire&Water– /2016,May/ – OHOS open studio’s group exhibition, Reading
Perspectives of the figurative-/2016, May/-5th Base Gallery, London

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