Interview: Olga Manilov
Luca Curci talks with Olga Manilov during CONTEMPORARY VENICE 2021 – 9TH EDITION, at Misericordia Archives.

My interest is in the variety of colors, materials and formal languages, which I live out with presence and spontaneity in my works. Wax, bitumen, slag, peat lye, wood stain, ash, shellac, wallpaper paste, coffee grounds – I experiment with anything that smiles at me. It’s fun to combine building material with artist material and watch how they react with each other. The joy of experimenting even leads me to let the picture literally burn. This creates unique textures. In other words, I try to imitate nature: I take the materials that nature can offer me in abundance and process them just like nature does: it is shaken, spatula, dripped, scraped and layered. It’s about intuitive painting, in which you can find your joy of life, childlike curiosity or perhaps new strength.

LUCA CURCI – What is art for you?
OLGA MANILOV – For me, art means endless freedom and yet arriving. I enjoy these moments of silence and, moreover, often forget the time. Sink into the abundance of colors and the diversity of shapes and surfaces. For me, art is a wonderful pastime that fills me and makes me happy.

LC – What is your background? Which experience has influenced your work the most?
OM – At the heart of my creations is the love for experimenting with different materials. The interesting thing is the intolerance of these. In this way, extraordinary textures can be created on the surface that are hardly possible to paint on purpose. Natural materials such as marble powder, lime, sand, champagne chalk, shellac, natural pigments and many others are used. Each of them has its own character and lives by its own rules. Getting them all on one surface is a challenge. But nothing is impossible.

LC – Where do you find your inspiration?
OM – My works reflect the love of nature and the processes of its change. At the same time I connect all the elements: earth, air, water and fire. I allow you to begin the process of transience and dissolve it again. Unique textures are created that can not be painted with a brush.

LC – What is it like to be an artist today?
OM – In times of overload of visual impressions, I try to send the viewer on a journey of discovery across the painting surface and sensitive him for the few and less in color, structures, cracks and textures. Material, color and composition, a perpetual challenge to create something new.

LC – Has your style changed over the years? In which way?
OM – My art history is only just beginning. I have been a creative person since I was a child, but I had no intention of becoming an artist and my profession is far from art … From time to time there were bursts of creativity, but it was only a few years ago that I began to delve into painting intensively. I’ve attended workshops by various artists and online courses and created my own style.

LC – In what way are the works of art presented in our exhibition related to the theme of the festival?
OM – I thought of Venice, a beautiful city that is perhaps a little more integrated into nature than many others. My art works are neutral and fit all topics. Venice is shaped by stone and water. You can find that in my creations too.

LC – Do you think that the ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
OM – ITSLIQUID GROUP has a diverse range of events for artists of every discipline and professionalism. Participation in exhibitions in world-famous locations is always exciting and very good for your own self-confidence, especially when you are at the beginning of your artist career.

LC – Did you enjoy working with us?
OM – Cooperation, especially communication, was excellent. I felt like I was in good hands. Thanks for that.

LC – What do you think of the ITSLIQUID platform?
OM – Continuous movement, as the name suggests.