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‘In her work, Paola Minekov creates a reality which is full of movement and dance…She stretches time and space to its maximum, resulting in complete intimacy and nearness of the subject.’ Joel Vos, Philosopher.
When you have two loves, and must sacrifice one to develop the other, what do you do? You find a way of combining the two. This is precisely what south London artist, Paola Minekov did. She combined her love of ballet and art in paintings depicting ballerinas in motion. These are being exhibited alongside her other works at the Carnegie Library in Herne Hill until 31 December.
Bulgarian reared, by artistic parents, Paola Minekov spent her childhood immersed in the arts, developing her skills at the National School for Fine Arts in Sofia. She went on to study art at the Avni Institute in Tel Aviv. After 18 months she moved to the Willem De Kooning Academy in Rotterdam from which she graduated with a degree in Multimedia Design. It was here that she realised that art was her passion. So she continued the journey to develop her own distinctive voice.
In 2008, she moved to London. Working as a web designer, she decided that to realise that passion she would take a more professional approach to art and create a body of work to exhibit. Paola Minekov’s first major exhibition was in 2008, in Varna, Bulgaria at the International Ballet Competition. She showcased her work alongside her father’s, the sculptor, Ivan Minekov. In this she was testing responses to her work – could she make a career of it? Yes, she could.
Now an active member of the South London Women Artists at Dulwich, Paola Minekov began running her business as a professional artist in January 2010. Exhibitions have since then flowed in a flurry, with a total of twelve this year; (eleven in the UK and a travelling group show in the USA). Her first solo exhibition took place on 18 October at City Tower in Moorgate. On 7 November, she fund raised for ‘Honeypot’, (a charity supporting vulnerable children), at the Ballet Gala Night in the Britten Theatre. She exhibited her paintings of Sarah Kundi, from ‘Ballet Black’, (a company of Black and Asian dancers), and Celisa Diuana from the Royal Ballet. In the audience were Dame Vivienne Westwood, Clemency Burton-Hill, Monica Mason & Maina Gielgud.
Themes run throughout Paola Minekov’s work; her interest in dance, energy and movement, the seeming fragility and vulnerability of ballet dancers alongside their fitness and strength, shine through in the ‘Dancers’ series. ‘Dancers V’ shows dancers in motion in contrasting shades of blue.
‘Ballet Black, Da Gamba’, another energetic composition, is painted in the warm colours of Africa and emphasises the choreography of the dance.
Another theme is in the ‘Relationship’ series; Paola Minekov reflects on the influences of her previous relationships and on experiences that are common to women. Unlike the ‘Dancers’ series, these are colder, designed and stylised and painted in muted colours to depict dysfunction. They are informed by the double standards by which women are judged, particularly sexually, and the ensuing negative influence on women. ‘The Outsider’ (see below) further illustrates this, hinting at men’s fragile understanding of this influence which makes them ‘outsiders’ in the relationship.
Paola Minekov’s passion for art shines through. Her favourite artists are Rembrandt, Monet, Klimt and Schiele and even Damien Hirst. She has now found her own voice and distinctive style. Look for yourself at her work and see her determination and vision. Perhaps, one day, Paola Minekov will be a household name.
Paola’s works are available for purchase as prints or originals. To see more go to
http://www.paolaminekov.com/news_events.html
http://www.facebook.com/PaolaMinekovArt
10:42 pm on November 30th, 2010
Claudia I really love this series of articles on women artists – thanks so much for sharing. It’s so inspiring to see women finding their passion and having the courage to follow their own path. Boldly and adventurously! I’m looking forward to your next post!!
10:44 pm on November 30th, 2010
WOW Claudia, I’m absolutely thrilled! Thank you for the great article!
8:58 am on December 1st, 2010
Hi Paola, I loved writing it too. This series has opened my eyes in relation to how women artists are historically unsung. And of course, I love your work. C.
9:00 am on December 1st, 2010
Hi Michelle, I’m glad you enjoyed it. There are so many unsung inspirational women. We must find them and give them air time. C.
9:43 am on December 2nd, 2010
Lovely work, full of colour and energy, great idea to feature artists Claudia.
12:34 pm on December 2nd, 2010
A really good article on a really good artist. Congratulations to you all. Tracey.
12:36 pm on December 6th, 2010
Hi Sonya, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for your comments. Women artists deserve more exposure, so I had to do a feature.
9:10 pm on December 9th, 2010
Valuable info. Lucky me I found your site by accident, I bookmarked it.
10:07 am on December 17th, 2010
Absolutely love these pictures, and the artists’s passion and drive. Inspirational piece, thanks for sharing!
8:59 pm on December 17th, 2010
Thanks Kath. I too was blown away by her.
11:23 am on December 22nd, 2010
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