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The photographer and I documented the entire process. The model is wrapped in film, and along the spine – the symbolic core of a person – you can see a «break.» When you’re broken, it might not show on the outside, but inside, all support is lost.
One of the works is titled «Illusory Support.» The model lies in the film, with a tiny prop barely holding them up. It’s a metaphor for inner support, the only thing left in such moments.
For now, the project features a female model, but I plan to work with a male model as well to show how social stereotypes («you must be strong») affect men.
– So, you have two projects: one is painting, and the other is photography?
– No, it’s not a photography project. We photograph the process, but it’s part of the painting project. It’s the behind-the-scenes, showing how the art is created.
– Are you preparing these works for exhibitions rather than for sale?
– Yes, these are exhibition projects. There’s commercial art, created to match interiors, and then there’s museum-grade art. I work in the latter. My projects are statements that grow in value and require a serious approach.
– So your goal is to show the project to as many people as possible, not to sell it?
– Exactly. This is art for galleries, museums, and those who appreciate deep ideas, not just pretty pictures.
– An artist must be confident, bold, and understand what they’re doing. Focusing on cheap kitsch and mass appeal can lead to losing oneself. It’s an endless race, like a hamster on a wheel, with no time to stop and create something truly one’s own.
– I don’t want to divide art into «good» or «bad.» Take Damien Hirst, for example – he’s often criticized for commercialization, but he works tirelessly and doesn’t depend on others’ opinions. If someone wants to create kitsch, let them. The main thing is to take action.
– Everyone has their own strategy and path. We don’t judge anyone.
– Yes, Dmitry. Exactly. For some, it’s easier; for others, it’s harder. For instance, I’m currently working with galleries in New York, but for me, it’s important to be an artist of global stature. Art shouldn’t be tied to one country. In today’s reality, it’s hard for Russian artists to break into the international scene, but we must adapt and seek opportunities where they exist.
– Svetlana, how do you find common ground with potential partners? What communication channels are most effective?
– Personally, I don’t handle marketing. My audience grows organically, and the themes I explore often don’t fit standard advertising campaigns. But if we’re talking about offline promotion, the best way is through exhibition spaces and art fairs.
– It’s interesting that many galleries are now moving away from large offline exhibitions, considering them unprofitable.
– Yes, there’s that trend, but it’s very individual. I’ve participated in many fairs and seen that success depends on how well the gallery can sell. An artist must understand that creating the work isn’t enough – it needs to be promoted. Galleries are interested in projects, not scattered pieces. For example, my «Feeling in a Package» project resonates and attracts attention.
– Art requires not only talent but also strategy.
– Absolutely. Think of Andy Warhol or Picasso – they didn’t just create; they built their careers. Today, as back then, it’s important to know how to sell your product.
– This isn’t just one painting; it’s a series, right?
– You know, working in series is always challenging. Yes, it’s not just one painting. For example, these «masses of bodies» I’ve blended – I’ve already done four large works and am starting to feel fatigued. To avoid repetition, I have to seek out a new project. Recently, «Feeling in a Package» emerged – it turned out even more vibrant and contrasting.
Creativity isn’t just pleasant enjoyment. You always have to push yourself, seek solutions, and work with memory. You can’t just pick up a brush, wave it around, and get results. Is it hard? Of course. Ask Elon Musk if it was easy to create Tesla. The answer is obvious.
– How many years have you been involved in exhibition activities?
– It’s hard to say exactly, but quite a few. If we take 2009 as the starting point, I’ve gone from one exhibition to another, at increasingly higher levels. Once you find your theme, you immediately step into a different format.
– What about high-level exhibitions? How many years of experience do you have there?
– About six or seven.
– Are you invited under non-commercial terms, or do you pay for the booths yourself?
– Dmitry, every artist has their own terms – it depends on the fair itself and the artist’s level. At the same time, major fairs like Frieze don’t disclose their sales because not all information in the art world is shared publicly.
– Can an artist fully realize themselves in Russia without going international?
– It depends on the goals. Some are comfortable teaching at a school or university and don’t need fairs or a big name. Others want to make history, like Jeff Koons or Lucian Freud.
Russia also has opportunities. For example, the Art Russia fair is a strong event, and participating in it can be a big bonus. But for some, it’s important to go beyond the country, like Kabakov did.
– What’s your planning horizon for exhibition activities?
– For now, a year ahead, but I aim to plan for 3—5 years.
– Which exhibitions are already scheduled?
– At the end of October, I have a solo exhibition in New York, and another in November. At one, I’ll present «Feeling in a Package,» and at the other, the «masses of bodies» project. It’s a metaphor for human masses, embodied on large canvases.
Alexander Shatskikh, a well-known art critic from New York, highly praised this idea. Without her opinion, even Malevich doesn’t sell!
When the curator saw my work, she associated it with masses of bodies. I’ve always wanted to convey corporeality – it’s about volume, our physical shell, so the viewer can feel it, «read» it. And in «Feeling in a Package,» I literally penetrate the viewer’s emotions through my paintings. There’s no other way to describe it.
Right now, I’m passionate about two projects I want to showcase. They’re thoughtful, filled with labor and meaning. For me, it’s like releasing a product into the world – like Elon Musk’s Tesla or a designer’s new collection. These works will be presented in two Chelsea galleries this fall.
– Do you have long-term ideas waiting for their moment?
– Creativity rarely follows a plan. I might get absorbed in one project, but suddenly another emerges – from some mental space. It’s like quantum physics: you interact with particles, and it’s the same in art. Of course, it’s important to consider the financial side, commercialization. You can create masterpieces, but if you don’t think about materiality, someone else will profit from your work.
Now, I want to explore the concept of the seven sins. This idea has lived in me for about fifteen years, but back then, I lacked the skills to realize it. Now, I feel ready to approach it with new experience. It’s a profound theme, and corporeality can reveal it in a particularly interesting way.
– How do you feel about the role of patrons and galleries in an artist’s life?
– Few people openly share their experiences. Think of Matisse or Vrubel – they were supported by patrons. But it’s important not to play the victim. If sales are slow, you can temporarily work at an art supply store or teach. The main thing is not to lose focus on your creativity.
I remember an interview with an American artist. Before her success, she lived modestly but found ways to get by. Stress narrows perception, but if you keep a clear mind, opportunities will always arise. Modern artists shouldn’t complain – they should act, read, and grow. Temporary work is a stage, not a life sentence.
– Your approach is inspiring.
– Thank you! The main thing is to believe in your ideas and not be afraid to find ways to realize them.
– Svetlana, how do you relax?
– I relax really well, especially in the Maldives, where I don’t even take my phone. I handle all work matters via email and warn people in advance. But I always draw. For me, there’s no break from creativity because it’s what I love to do.
Trump once said he only needs two days off before diving back into deals. For me, it’s the same: my work is to paint. I might take a couple of days off if I’m tired, but then I pick up a pencil again – sketching lines, making drafts, even in a restaurant. It’s a joy I don’t need a month-long break from, like office work.
– What advice would you give to young artists just starting their journey?
– If it’s truly your calling, you won’t need motivation. Of course, there are moments of slump, but they pass. It’s important to find the positives in them. Coaches can help you tune into the right wavelength, but ultimately, the support lies within you.
I don’t see psychologists, but I understand that sometimes it’s hard to pull yourself out of difficult states. Books, like those by Joe Dispenza, can change lives. The main thing is not to wait for someone else to fix everything. The support is always within us; we just don’t always see it.
– Thank you, Svetlana.
– I’m very pleased with our conversation. I want the «Feeling in a Package» project to live on and reach as many people as possible. It’s interesting not just as painting but as a space to confront one’s feelings.
We often can’t show our emotions even to those closest to us. I hope this project helps people become more open. Men will be able to show tears if they’re in pain, and women will stop fearing being «imperfect.»
– Thank you for the conversation! Wishing you creative success!
Svetlana Malakhova’s work isn’t just painting – it’s a deep dialogue with the viewer. Her projects, whether «Feeling in a Package» or large-scale canvases exploring human corporeality, make us reflect on what lies behind our social masks. Her art has no room for superficiality – only sincerity, pain, resistance, and ultimately, liberation.
The artist isn’t afraid of difficult themes or bold experiments, and her confidence in her path is inspiring. She reminds us: true art isn’t created to «match interiors» – it’s born from an inner need to speak out, even if the message is uncomfortable.
This fall, Svetlana will present her new works in New York, and there’s no doubt her projects will resonate once again. Because art that touches the soul always finds a response. And her key message – «the support is always within us» – sounds more relevant than ever.
All that’s left is to wait and see which boundaries she’ll break next.
Мгновенье красоты/ A Moment of Beauty
Косова Елена (псевдоним Леонелла Вок), год рождения.1970
«Мгновенье красоты» – философская работа, выходящая за рамки простого изображения предметов. Центральный образ – груша на пике спелости. Прямо сейчас можно почувствовать прохладный глянец ее кожицы, ее сочную тяжесть, но уже завтра она начнет увядать. Груша – символ сиюминутного счастья, не успеешь оглянуться, как его уже нет.
Композиция строится на контрасте между преходящим и вечным. Символы бренности – сочные плоды – олицетворяют недолговечность. Символы прошлого – древняя фреска, античное блюдо и ткань, напоминающая римскую тогу, – все это следы той цивилизации, которой давно нет. Изображение на заднем плане – реплика подлинной росписи виллы «Мистерий» (Помпеи), изображающей нетипичные для того времени церемонии, над разгадкой которых бьются историки.
Смысл, заложенный в картину – та жизнь, к какой мы привыкли, может в один момент перестать существовать. Многие из нас живут с ощущением, что жизнь бесконечна, и откладывают важные решения на потом. Картина призывает зрителя подумать о том, что «потом» может и не быть. Философский посыл – текст, проступающий через красочные слои: «Каждое мгновенье бесценно, остановись на секунду, посмотри вокруг и увидишь какая красота нас окружает».
«Мгновенье красоты» – картина про то, что каждое мгновенье бесценно и важно полноценно жить «здесь» и «сейчас».
Картина заняла 2-е место на международной выставке-конкурсе «Талант России» (Москва, 2025).
Мгновенье красоты, 60х60 см, смешанная техника, 2025
«A Moment of Beauty» is a philosophical work that transcends the simple depiction of objects. The central image is a pear at its peak ripeness. Right now, one can almost feel the cool gloss of its skin, its juicy weight, but already by tomorrow, it will begin to wilt. The pear is a symbol of fleeting happiness – you barely have time to acknowledge it before it’s gone.
The composition is built on the contrast between the transient and the eternal. The symbols of transience – the lush fruits – represent impermanence. The symbols of the past – an ancient fresco, an antique dish, and fabric resembling a Roman toga – are all traces of a civilization long gone. The image in the background is a replica of an authentic mural from the Villa of the Mysteries (Pompeii), which depicts ceremonies atypical for that era, the meaning of which historians still struggle to decipher.
The meaning embedded in the painting is that the life we are accustomed to can cease to exist in an instant. Many of us live with a sense that life is endless, postponing important decisions for «later.» The painting urges the viewer to consider that «later» may never come. The philosophical message is like text showing through the layers of paint: «Every moment is priceless; stop for a second, look around, and you will see the beauty that surrounds us.»
«A Moment of Beauty» is a painting about how every moment is invaluable and about the importance of living fully «here» and «now.»
The painting won 2nd place at the international exhibition-contest «Talent of Russia» (Moscow, 2025).
Странствие сквозь время/ Voyage Through Time»
Косова Елена (псевдоним Леонелла Вок), год рождения 1970
«Странствие сквозь время» – размышление о непостоянстве нашей жизни и метаморфозах, которые с нами происходят. Зритель становится свидетелем того, как в одном моменте времени можно увидеть и только что сорванные плоды, и артефакты давно забытой цивилизации.
Спелые груши на блюде символизируют жизненный путь от прошлого – периода цветения, до настоящего – плода на пике зрелости. Еще один ключевой элемент композиции – терракотовые складки, обрамляющие плоды подобно древним свиткам – хранителям истории и носителям памяти поколений.
На заднем фоне – реплики античных фресок из дворца царя Миноса в Кноссе: голубая обезьяна – символ метаморфоз и жажды перемен и кувшин, хранящий тайны тысячелетий.
Эти артефакты с острова Крит – колыбели ушедшей цивилизации. Картина не только дает возможность приобщиться к древним артефактам, но и несет послание: «Есть особая магия в том, чтобы отправиться в путь, а затем вернуться назад совершенно иным». Эти слова проступают сквозь краску, как отголоски наших мыслей.
Картина отражает личные переживания автора и написана в тот момент, когда Елена после успешной карьеры в бизнесе кардинально изменила свою жизнь, вышла из зоны комфорта, и пошла за мечтой.
«Странствие сквозь время» – про внутреннюю эволюцию каждого из нас. Это напоминание: каждый наш выбор – это финал одного пути и начало другого.
Странствие сквозь время, 60х60 см, смешанная техника, 2025
Kosova Elena (pseudonym Leonella Vok), born in 1970. Voyage Through Time» is a meditation on the impermanence of our lives and the metamorphoses we undergo. The viewer becomes a witness to how a single moment in time can contain both freshly picked fruit and artifacts of a long-forgotten civilization.
The ripe pears on the plate symbolize the journey of life from the past – a period of blossoming – to the present – a fruit at its peak of ripeness. Another key element of the composition is the terracotta folds framing the fruit like ancient scrolls – keepers of history and vessels of generational memory.
In the background are replicas of ancient frescoes from the Palace of King Minos in Knossos: a blue monkey – a symbol of metamorphosis and a thirst for change – and a jug safeguarding the secrets of millennia.
These artifacts from the island of Crete – the cradle of a lost civilization. The painting not only offers a chance to connect with ancient artifacts but also carries a message: «There is a special magic in setting out on a journey and then returning home completely changed.» These words emerge through the paint like echoes of our own thoughts.
The painting reflects the author’s personal experiences and was created when Elena, after a successful career in business, radically changed her life, stepped out of her comfort zone, and followed her dream.
«Voyage Through Time» is about the inner evolution of every one of us. It is a reminder: every choice we make is both the finale of one path and the beginning of another.
Взгляд из прошлого/ A View from the Past
Косова Елена (псевдоним Леонелла Вок), год рождения 1970
««Взгляд из прошлого» – аллегория, призывающая зрителей ценить настоящее. Художественные средства – текстурная паста, масло, акрил, воск и битумный лак, подчеркивают контраст фактур: патину металла, сочность плодов, шероховатость фрески. Автор мастерски передает смыслы через фактуру изображенных предметов. Зритель почти физически ощущает как струящаяся ткань (подобно водам реки Забвения) «смывает пыль веков», обнажая старинный шлем и профиль этрусской красавицы с античной фрески.
Велия Велчи – этрусская «Мона Лиза». Ее уверенный взгляд с фрески бросает вызов векам: она правила городом, когда женщины были тенью. Ключевой контраст с прошлым – сливы на старинном блюде. Спелые фрукты воплощают хрупкую красоту настоящего, которая уже через секунду станет тенью. Их соседство со старинным бронзовым шлемом визуализирует единство времен: прошлое и настоящее рядом. Полупрозрачная надпись, проступающая сквозь краску будто сквозь патину, гласит: «Прошлое ушло в историю, будущее покрыто тайной, настоящее – величайший из даров». Буквы органично вплетены в живописное полотно.
В основе написания этой картины лежат мысли автора о том, что настало время переосмыслить жизнь и начать жить, осознанно наслаждаясь каждой отпущенной секундой. Пока река времени не унесла всё в небытие.
«Взгляд из прошлого» – картина про то, что надо ценить величайший из даров – каждый миг нашей жизни.
Картина вошла в книгу «Диалоги об искусстве», ISBN 978-5-0067-2782-3 (2025 год).
Взгляд из прошлого, 60х60, смешанная техника, 2025
A View from the Past
Kosova Elena (pseudonym Leonella Vok), born 1970
«A View from the Past» is an allegory urging viewers to value the present. The artistic mediums – texture paste, oil, acrylic, wax, and bitumen varnish – emphasize the contrast of textures: the patina of metal, the succulence of fruit, the roughness of the fresco. The author masterfully conveys meaning through the texture of the depicted objects. The viewer almost physically feels how the flowing fabric (like the waters of the River Lethe) «washes away the dust of the centuries,» revealing an ancient helmet and the profile of an Etruscan beauty from an antique fresco.
Velia Velcha – the Etruscan «Mona Lisa.» Her confident gaze from the fresco challenges the centuries: she ruled the city when women were a shadow. The key contrast with the past is the plums on the ancient dish. The ripe fruits embody the fragile beauty of the present, which will become a shadow in just a second. Their proximity to the ancient bronze helmet visualizes the unity of times: past and present side by side. A semi-transparent inscription, showing through the paint as if through patina, reads: «The past is gone into history, the future is shrouded in mystery, the present is the greatest of gifts.» The letters are organically woven into the painted canvas.
The creation of this painting is based on the author’s thoughts that the time has come to rethink life and start living, consciously enjoying every allotted second. Before the river of time carries everything into oblivion.
«A View from the Past» is a painting about the need to value the greatest of gifts – every moment of our lives.
The painting was included in the book «Dialogues about Art,» ISBN 978-5-0067-2782-3 (2025).
Иллюзия вечности/ Illusion of Eternity
Косова Елена (псевдоним Леонелла Вок), год рождения 1970
««Иллюзия вечности» – работа, которая предлагает задуматься о том, что все преходяще. Композиция раскрывает неумолимость течения времени. Внимание зрителя привлекает блюдо со сливами. Одни плоды – спелые, сочные, с солнечными бликами на кожуре – символ полноты жизни, ярких красок настоящего. Рядом – плоды, превращенные художницей в тени, готовые исчезнуть в небытие – знак неотвратимости упадка и забвения.
В той же технике выполнена потертая ткань, на которой лежит блюдо. Её складки то приоткрывают, то скрывают изображение маски вождя и фресок с танцующими индейцами майя. Трещины маски написаны лаком с эффектом «кракле» – проведя рукой по холсту можно почувствовать шрамы времени. Техника исполнения подчеркивает контрасты: иллюзию вечности и реальность момента. На заднем плане видно изображение танца индейцев. Это – реплика фресок одного из девяти храмов в поселении Бонампака, название которого с языка майя переводится как «раскрашенные стены».
Надпись на холсте, исчезающая подобно лучам на руинах храма Паленке: «Время течет медленно, но проходит быстро» – ключевой философский акцент работы. Эта работа задумывалась художницей как подведение итогов жизни после того, как большая ее часть уже прожита. Глядя на картину, мы понимаем, насколько иллюзорно то, что кажется нам вечным и неизменным.
Вечность – это лишь иллюзия, сотканная из хрупких, преходящих мгновений и памятников, обречённых стать прахом.
Картина вошла в книгу «Диалоги об искусстве», ISBN 978-5-0067-2782-3 (2025 год)
Иллюзия вечности, 60х60 см, смешанная техника, 2025
Illusion of Eternity
Kosova Elena (pseudonym Leonella Vok), born 1970
«Illusion of Eternity» is a work that invites contemplation on the transience of all things. The composition reveals the relentless flow of time. The viewer’s attention is drawn to a dish of plums. Some fruits are ripe, juicy, with sunlit highlights on their skin – a symbol of life’s fullness and the vibrant colors of the present. Nearby are fruits the artist has transformed into shadows, ready to vanish into oblivion – a sign of the inevitability of decay and oblivion.
Executed in the same technique is the worn fabric on which the dish rests. Its folds alternately reveal and conceal the image of a chieftain’s mask and frescoes with dancing Maya Indians. The cracks on the mask are painted with a «crackle» effect varnish – running a hand over the canvas, one can feel the scars of time. The execution technique emphasizes the contrasts: the illusion of eternity and the reality of the moment. In the background, an image of a Native American dance is visible. This is a replica of the frescoes from one of the nine temples in the settlement of Bonampak, whose name translates from the Mayan language as «painted walls.»