When the French art critic and writer Guillaume Apollinaire coined the term surrealism in March 1917, he would have hardly imagined that 100 years later artists would still find this style that calls for the juxtaposition of uncommon imagery as if in a dream, irresistibly pertinent. It was exactly in 2017 when I created Cycling in a Dream as part of a new lineage of works with surreal motifs, which now seem to strongly resonate with the strange surrealism of our global lockdown. The blurring of dream and reality becomes the symbol of our surreal culture suspended in quarantine, as much as the penny-farthing became a symbol of the late Victorian era. As we are facing the uncertainty of the post-COVID 19 world, so does the cyclist who is riding into something chaotic and unresolved ahead. It is this uncertainty that I captured through the accidental power of my signature ‘fluid acrylic pouring’ technique. I am fascinated by this rarely practised technique which brings a degree of painterly accidents, higher intensity and hyper-realistic moments beyond one’s artistic control.
The light, the colour and magic in the current moment are inspirations in my art. I find exciting to provoke the audience’s imagination to see a stories and feel emotional, when looking at my painting. I focus on landscapes, cityscapes in my watercolour works and I like to mix the reality and fantasy world in the acrylic paintings. Acrylic pouring technique is something I recently discovered. Combining pouring and detailed realistic painting together is something I really enjoy. The result of it is unique and constantly provokes my interest for new stories in my paintings. This technique is hard to control and predict exactly the final result of pouring. But this combination of accidental and controlled result I find interesting and exciting.
Biography
DIANA SAVOVA
Born 1978 in Chepelare, Bulgaria. Lives and works in Edinburgh since 2011
Tel +44 (0)7969831120 Email diana.savova@hotmail.co.uk https://artsavova.co.uk/
Education
1998-2003 MA Degree in Fine Art Conservation and Restoration, National Academy of Art
and Design, Sofia
Solo Exhibitions
2020 August Contemporary Fairy-Tale Magic, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
2016 July Colours, North Edinburgh Arts, Edinburgh
2009 September Memories, Town Hall, Chepelare
2009 August Memories, Culture Club Gallery, Smolyan
2009 July Memories, Plastelin Studio Gallery, Sofia
2008 Impressions, Blue Margarita Gallery, Sofia
Group Exhibitions
2020 New Works as part of Colony of Artists Festival, Edinburgh (forthcoming)
2020 Torrance Gallery, Edinburgh
2019 Macmillan Art Show, Bonhams, Edinburgh
2019 Recent Works as part of Colony of Artists Festival, Edinburgh
2019 Human Condition, Art Gallery 37, Turin
2019 Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
2018 E.D.S Gallery, Edinburgh
2018 All Can be Frida, Espacio Gallery, London
2018 Macmillan Art Show, Bonhams, Edinburgh
2018 Dancing Light Gallery, West Linton
2018 Threads, Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
2017 Macmillan Art Show, Bonhams, Edinburgh
2016 Macmillan Art Show, Bonhams, Edinburgh
2016 Capture Scotland, Morningside Church, Edinburgh
2014 Three Person Exhibition, Hangar Gallery, North Berwick
2014 Christmas, Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh
2013 Christmas, Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh
2011 Annual Exhibition, Culture Club Gallery, Smolyan
2010 Pleven Biennial, Iliya Beshkov Regional Art Gallery, Pleven
2010 Culture Club Gallery, Smolyan
2008 Culture Club Gallery, Smolyan
2007 Smolyan Regional Art Gallery, Smolyan
1999 The Savovs, Fest Invest Hall, Sofia
1995 The Savovs, Town Hall, Chepelare and touring to Smolyan and Tryavna
Public Art Commissions
2008 Camondo House murals, Istanbul
2005 Last Judgment Frescos, Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Pamporovo
Publications
2004 Donkey Muk, illustrations of children book, Zhar Publishing House, Sofia
Positions
2019 Volunteer Conservator, St Cecilia’s Hall Music Museum, Edinburgh
2017-18 Life Drawing Tutor, Hens with Pens, UK
2010-11 Senior Conservator, Regional Museum of History, Smolyan
2007-11 Set Decorator, Nu Boyana Film Studios at Art Department of, Sofia. Films include The Expendables 2 (USA), Conan Barbarian The Code (USA), Roman Mysteries (BBC)
2007 Set Designer and Draftsman for Magna Aura (13 TV series, Bulgarian National Television and Saxonia Media)
2006 Production Designer Assistant for Lyudmil and Ruslana (TV series, Bulgarian National Television)
2002-05 Wardrobe Department Assistant, Bulgarian National Television. Programmes include Rascals (Palavnici); Rosy Pelican Reserve Legend of the White Boar, and Icy Dream
2001 Art Director Assistant, Bulgarian National Television. Series of live reports
Professional Membership
2019 present ICON (International Institute of Conservation) associated with Pathway Accreditation
2015 present Scottish Society of Artist
2015 present Visual Art Scotland