Ekaterina Popova’s paintings transport us into the coziness of intimate home spaces, capturing the essence of personal sanctuaries adorned with the understated beauty of daily life. Her artistic journey is deeply intertwined with her own life experiences, originating in Russia. Through her work, Popova explores these personal realms, commemorating the tender moments and subtle beauty that only a keen eye can appreciate. By focusing on interiors, she invites us into spaces rich with emotional resonance, where every plant, book, and piece of furniture tells its own story. Her use of vibrant colors heightens this sense of familiarity, bathing everyday objects in a gentle, dream-like glow that enhances their allure and invites contemplation.
Through her sublime artistry, Popova challenges us to rethink the ordinary and uncover the extraordinary in our own living environments. Her canvases depict a world where the mundane transforms into the magical, urging us to pause and recognize the beauty in imperfection and clutter. Her brushstrokes capture the elegance of disarray, the tender chaos of an unmade bed, and the poignant silence of a room devoid of its occupant. By omitting human figures, she focuses on the traces they leave behind, forging a poignant connection with the spaces we inhabit. Ultimately, Popova’s paintings serve as gentle reminders that our homes are not just shelters but living, breathing memoirs of our everyday lives.
For the past few years, I have been exploring interiors in my work. The interest started as a way for me to reflect on my upbringing in Russia, but eventually progressed to exploring the overall idea of “home” and what it means me now. The work has slowly evolved from being reflective and sentimental to being mindful and present in my current environment. I repeatedly paint my own bedroom, visit other people’s houses, and use reference photos submitted to me by others online. My paintings include messy rooms, intimate items, and objects that refer to human presence without including the figure. I pick up on the subtle tones, lighting, and mood of each location in order to capture the emotion I associate with the space and then exaggerate the color to create a dream-like image.
Ekaterina Popova
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