Text by Irina Rusinovich
Mako, can you tell us about your journey as an artist? What initially drew you to pursue a career in fine arts, and what or who has influenced your work?
My journey as an artist began at a young age, influenced by a fascination with the natural world and a passion for expressing emotions and ideas visually. Growing up, I was surrounded by family members who valued creativity and encouraged me to explore different artistic mediums. This nurturing environment allowed me to experiment with drawing, painting, and sculpture, gradually honing my skills and developing a unique artistic voice.
Inspiration has come from a variety of sources, including the works of renowned artists, personal experiences, and my travels. Personal subjects evoke deep emotional responses through color, form, and composition. An ever-evolving art scene continues to inspire and challenge me to push the boundaries of my creativity.
The pursuit of a career in fine arts was a natural progression, driven by a desire to share my vision with the world and connect with others on a profound level. Throughout my journey, I have sought to create art that not only reflects my inner thoughts and feelings but also resonates with viewers, inviting them to see the world through a different lens.
Copyright Mako Lomadze courtesy of HAZEGALLERY
Your work primarily involves traditional media, especially oil paint. What is it about oil paint that you find most comfortable and expressive at this stage in your artistic journey?
Oil paint is a medium that offers incredible depth, a vast color spectrum, and remarkable flexibility, making itmy preferred choice at this stage in my artistic journey. The richness and luminosity that can be achieved with oil paints are unparalleled, allowing for a nuanced expression of light and shadow that brings my subjects to life. The slow drying time of oil paint provides the freedom to blend and layer colors meticulously, enabling me to build complex textures and subtle transitions that add depth and dimension to my work.
Moreover, the versatility of oil paint allows me to experiment with different techniques, from delicate glazes to bold impasto. This adaptability makes it possible to convey a wide range of emotions and atmospheres, enhancing the narrative quality of my pieces. The ability to rework areas and make adjustments over extended periods is also invaluable, as it lets me refine my compositions until they accurately capture my artistic vision.
In essence, oil paint’s unique properties align perfectly with my creative process, offering a medium through which I can explore and express the intricacies of my artistic ideas with precision and emotional resonance.
Your art is known for its rich symbolism and the exploration of subconscious issues and dreams. Could you share more about the internal dialogue that fuels your creative process and how you choose the symbols that appear in your work?
The internal dialogue that fuels my creative process is deeply rooted in the exploration of the subconscious, personal traumas, aesthetics, and a profound sense of nostalgia. My work often emerges from a place of introspection, where I seek to unravel the complex layers of my inner world and translate them into visual narratives. This journey involves delving into memories, dreams, and emotions, allowing them to surface and guide artistic expression.
The symbols that appear in my work are carefully chosen to represent these internal experiences. They often carry multiple layers of meaning, acting as visual metaphors for the themes I am exploring. Personal traumas and unresolved emotions find their way into my art through recurring motifs and imagery that evoke a sense of longing, loss, and healing. These symbols serve as a bridge between my internal landscape and the external world, inviting viewers to engage with the work on an emotional and psychological level.
Aesthetics play a crucial role in my creative process, as I am drawn to beauty and harmony as a means of conveying deeper truths. The juxtaposition of pleasing visual elements with the darker aspects of the subconscious creates a tension that adds depth to my pieces. This approach allows me to address complex and often uncomfortable issues in a way that is both approachable and thought-provoking.
Nostalgia is another powerful element in my art, as it evokes a sense of yearning for a time or place that feels familiar yet elusive. This longing is often depicted through dreamlike landscapes and surreal scenarios that suggest a world beyond the tangible. The sense of being somewhere I have never been, yet intimately knowing, permeates my work, creating an atmosphere of mystery and introspection.
Ultimately, my creative process is a dialogue between my inner self and the canvas, where each brushstroke and symbol serves as a means of exploring and understanding the depths of the human experience. Through this journey, I aim to connect with viewers on a profound level, offering them a glimpse into the universal themes that resonate within us all.
Copyright Mako Lomadze, courtesy of HAZEGALLERY
A recurring theme in your art is the tragic sense of existence, often conveyed through dreamy and ambiguous compositions. How do you approach the creation of these series, and what significance do self-portraits hold in your exploration of deep emotional issues and true selfhood?
Approaching the creation of a series centered around the tragic sense of existence, life, and death involves a deeply introspective and methodical process. I start with a period of reflection, delving into personal experiences, dreams, and the broader human condition. This reflection often reveals the underlying themes I want to explore, which then become the foundation for the series.
My compositions are intentionally dreamy and ambiguous to evoke a sense of the surreal and the untouchable, reflecting the shifty nature of existence and thecomplexities of life and death. I employ a variety of techniques to achieve this, such as soft, diffused lighting, ethereal color palettes, and fluid forms. These elements combine to create a world that feels both familiar and otherworldly, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the emotions and ideas conveyed.
Self-portraits hold a significant place in this exploration. They serve as a tool for self-analysis and introspection, allowing me to confront and examine my own emotions and identity from a distance. Through self-portraits, I can navigate the depths of my psyche, uncovering truths about myself and my experiences. This process is both cathartic and illuminating, providing a means to externalize internal struggles and triumphs.
By incorporating self-portraits into my work, I aim to capture the raw and unfiltered essence of my true self, presenting it as a conduit for universal themes. The act of painting oneself is a form of dialogue with the self, a way to understand and reconcile the various facets of one’s identity. It also serves to humanize the broader themes of life and death, grounding them in the personal and the intimate.
In essence, my approach to creating these series is a blend of introspection, symbolism, and aesthetic exploration. The dreamy and ambiguous compositions, combined with the deeply personal nature of self-portraits, allow me to convey the tragic sense of existence in a way that is both poignant and relatable. Through this process, I strive to connect with viewers on an emotional level, encouraging them to reflect on their own experiences and perceptions of life, death, and selfhood.
Copyright Mako Lomadze courtesy of HAZEGALLERY
Your artwork frequently engages with the role of women in the modern world. Can you elaborate on how you address this theme in your pieces and the research process you undertake to develop a coherent visual language that speaks to contemporary social issues?
Engaging with the role of women in the modern world through my artwork involves a careful blend of personal experience, sociological insights, and cultural context.
Growing up in a particular sociopolitical and cultural region profoundly influences my understanding and portrayal of women’s roles and issues. This backdrop informs the themes, symbols, and narratives I incorporate into my pieces.
I use recurring symbols and a consistent color palette to create cohesion, blending past and present to illustrate the evolution of women’s roles. Conveying deep emotions through expressions and body language is central to my work, allowing me to capture the complex and multifaceted experiences of women in contemporary society.
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