In Search of King Julien
I spent ten days on an expedition in Madagascar. This land is full of mysteries and blank spots still unknown to humanity, which makes it all the more intriguing and mystical. Yet, if I have the opportunity, I will try to get closer to its essence through my paintings. It is merely an attempt to comprehend and uncover at least a small part of this land, its people and nature, as well as the way everything is interconnected.
Other rooms
This series does not have a singular answer; it intertwines numerous themes and questions. It is an exploration of mystery and the secrets that surround us in everyday life. I depict this mystery without articulating it precisely. Each piece represents a space filled with lives, destinies, and stories, leaving viewers the opportunity to find their own answers. Ultimately, this series is dedicated to the mystery of small life.
The works were created over the course of a year and a half, and I plan to continue this series, as there are still many questions to explore. In my paintings, I use oil paints, and to create ghostly outlines of figures, I employ spray paint, which allows for both detail and depth in the imagery.
I believe that childhood and the past of each person contain answers to many questions and problems that haunt us today or coexist with us. At least, I try to recall my feelings and perceptions of this world during my childhood. Through this lens, whether looking from the outside or, conversely, from a first-person perspective, I seek to view today’s and tomorrow’s events through the prism of the past.
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A murder at the Sylvanian house
Stories from the world of children's toys — where not only personal dramas but also the emotions of others are projected—offer us a way to view life’s situations through the prism of a childlike universe. We see how the innocent appearance of toys becomes a mirror for complex human emotions.
Yakov admits that the narratives emerged organically, flowing from one to the next during the process. At first glance, they may seem unrelated, but together they form a cohesive vision of the Sylvanian world—a metaphor for a child’s consciousness, where very grown-up stories unfold.
He uses multi-panel compositions to convey a single idea: “The idea isn’t new, but I wanted to create something like it. In my case, each piece stands on its own, but together—with the characters’ stories and destinies—they form one large picture of this toy world. It’s my attempt to create a Sylvanian saga, where childlike imagination intersects with adult reality.”
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Take me home
In this series, I created portraits of animals that I have encountered, know, or have thought about at some point. Take, for example, the neighbor’s ferret. I look at it and wonder, "What would it say to me if it could speak? What concerns does it have, what does it dream about? Perhaps it has a secret?"
The text accompanying the works serves as an attempt to showcase the personalities of the animals, giving them a voice. You might notice that in some pieces, the text does not align with our usual perceptions of the depicted character. I believe this dissonance allows us to see these animals in a new light.
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Introtexto
This series features blurred portraits created with spray paint. At times, I feel as though I have forgotten something or missed a moment. This collection is an attempt to restore lost images — fragments of experiences that may have happened to me long ago, or perhaps they never happened at all.
They could be memories borrowed from literature or fleeting moments captured in social media, much like the phrases I use in these works as tags.
The essence of this series lies in the interplay between reality and imagination, capturing the faint echoes of recollections that linger in our minds. Each piece invites viewers to reflect on their own memories, to question what is real and what is merely a figment of our collective consciousness. Through the use of spray paint, I aim to evoke a sense of nostalgia while simultaneously acknowledging the transient nature of our experiences.
In my opinion, the artwork "Family Portrait" stands out as one of the most significant pieces in this series, if not the key piece.
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