About “The touch” series, 2019
Touch as a form of communication.
Regardless of the theme which I am exploring, throughout my whole artistic career, symbolic meaning was always represented and valued. Considering that I have a great respect for primeval, somehow it came naturally to me to explore the concept of touch in its first form- the touch of a newborn/small child and its mother/father. In addition to the touch itself, my idea was to connect the first form of communication which is essential and of great significance to one’s inner self to four basic elements of nature which are believed to be essential to life itself. Presented paintings are “The Touch” in connection to fire,earth, air, water. Paintings represent a moment when mother/father touches their newborn trying to guide it in this new world that it came to, while the newborn’s instinct is to symbolically start a life journey… The connection between the three actors mother,child, element (earth,wind,fire, water) through touch make the endless circle.
The composition is built in a minimalist way showing a close-up contact. It is reduced to a concrete contact of hands and fingers because they contain extra sensitive receptors that are able to detect even the mildest and gentlest touch.
The technique and the media in which the painting is done is also of great significance to the concept: The moment of touch is symbolically done in a realistic drawing technique- drawing as the beginning process of any art form, monochromatic with “no influence of the outside world”. And the elements(fire,earth,air, water) are presented in an abstract and associative way painted in acrylic and golden leaves(symbolizing “light”). The abstract splashing all over the painting represents a world full of diversity into which the child is stepping in.
Life journey starts with touch. It is the human sense which first starts developing in the womb, in the water. Touch of a newborn with its mother, father… Touch of a skin is not just “nerve cells located in the skin, sensible to temperature differences”, or “process of recognizing objects by coming into contact”, touch is the first form of communication, touch is the first driving force and first encounter with emotions. It is no coincidence that we often rely on touch, in order to verify the truthfulness of what the other senses suggest. What is felt by touch, the sight is unable to comprehend. The slightest touch can be a cause of psychological changes. A simple friendly touch on the shoulder, and our psyche reacts in such a way, that we feel the rush of self-confidence. Imagine then how the baby reacts when it feels mother’s touch. Imagine "skin to skin" contact, when warm babies are put on mother’s chest immediately after birth... The touch of mothers and babies is vital to children's mental and physical development.
Because touch is so simple and so instinctive. For a new life it is the warmest welcome, strongest support and the safest guideline.
