Polina Bulgakova

Year of birth: 1994. Where do you live: Israel. Your education: I have a bachelor in PR and Advertising in politics. Describe your art in three words: Surreal, contrast, brave. www.polinabulgakova.art | Instagram

How did attending an unconventional art school shape your approach to art?

In the beginning it actually felt weird, I didn’t feel that I have enough academic skills, felt like I’m painting with “mistakes” in lighting, composition etc. I did have talent, but thought that it’s not enough, and that they don’t actually “teach”; us in the classic definition of the word. My teacher, Viktoria, could come to my desk and say: “Give it more expression! More life!”, and I had no idea what it means and how do I do it. Only in more mature age I realized that she taught me to work from my feelings and emotions, work intuitively, and this is the key aspect of my works now. Sometimes I make an artwork without any realization of what I’m doing, and after some time I look at it and I realize what I was feeling and where does it come from. This unconventional approach to art helped me to build my artistic style.

Polina Bulgakova | Seasons

What drew you to digital 3D art, and how does it compare to traditional media?

When I was living in Russia, I worked mostly with oil paints. I loved it so much, even though it’s smelly, dirty and dries slow. Once I moved to Israel, I didn’t have enough space in my apartment. No chance I could do oils there. I then moved to watercolors, but it didn’t have the bold texture I used to with oils, and it’s so gentle – you can’t change much after the layer dries. Then I tried to paint in Photoshop. It was nice to have CTL+Z button, control of the layers, but I started to feel it’s not enough freedom for me, I felt like I want to actually dive into my works. When Covid started, my office let us all work remotely, I suddenly had 2 additional hours in my day and more energy (traffic in Tel Aviv is insane). I watched few tutorials on YouTube just for fun, but finally I felt like this is IT. I could build my own worlds, define my own physics, literally anything felt possible (and it was). I still paint by hands sometimes, it helps to relax and re-connect to myself, especially when I have many projects. Nothing can replace the kinetic aspect of art, and I think it is necessary for any artist to do it from time to time.

Polina Bulgakova | Metamorphic Rhapsody

How do you blend elements from Russian and Israeli cultures in your art?

I reflect on my memories and feelings a lot. It’s not easy to live in immigration, especially when the countries are so opposite. Russian folklore, history and evolution of arts is extremely colorful, and I love to interpret it. From the other side, I have a unique point of view on Israeli culture, as a person with such opposite background. I pass the reality I live in through this inner filter, and express it through my art. Thanks to Viktoria, I know how to mix unmixable and work from my feelings and emotions, and I hope my art helps people stay open-minded.

How do you approach the idea of disregarding the laws of physics in your creations?

Sometimes I just look at an object/scene/situation and ask myself, what would make me say “I didn’t expect this?”. Sometimes I start with a traditional ordinary scene, and say “Now, what would not fit here at all in any ways?”. This happens much more often, to be honest, many times I have a certain idea in my mind, like “I really want to make some mountains/interior/still life”, and from that I reimagine reality.

Polina Bulgakova | Dreamer

Can you talk about a specific piece that was particularly challenging or meaningful to you?

This year I made the most honest and most meaningful for me piece, “The Wanderer”. I made it in the beginning of 2024. By this time, I felt a little confused with my life, a lot was going on and I couldn’t make an order. I felt like I’m falling apart, I missed my homeland so much, yet I realized that after last events I probably wouldn’t be able to visit another year or two at least. At the same time, last time I visited in September 2023, I didn’t feel connected there. And I never felt 100% connected here in Israel, as I am very different from the locals. And I’m a very dynamic person, I go over changes all the time, my taste changes quickly, my hobbies and passions. I wanted to make a piece that will embrace my inner contradictions and help me accept them. I wanted something that will say: “Hey, I’m a traveler yet homestead person. I love beach and snow. I love stability yet I love changes”. This is how The Wanderer was born. He moves all the time yet stays inside his inner space. He transforms constantly yet has the core that stays the same. I deeply connected to this work, and never ever I made something that express the real me.

How do you see the evolution of digital art in the next few years?

Well, it’s hard to say, as the industry changes so quickly I can’t even follow up on it fully. But I think it will thrive. With the help of AI tools, it’s much easier now to make references and sketches, with the art streaming platforms it’s easier to get visibility and exposure. I do think though that traditional art will get its advantages from it – as more and more artists move to digital, the traditional ones will be more and more appreciated too. In the end it’s all cycles, and will flip many times, in my opinion.

What advice would you give to aspiring digital artists who want to explore surrealistic realism?

Just think about what could never happen and make it real. What could be unnatural – and do it. When a glass breaks, it shatters? Make it sound like an ocean wave. See a cloud in the sky? Make it behave like a liquid. Start with something small, and don’t judge it. Make-no-think approach helps me a lot when I feel like I’m in a creative hole. In the beginning you probably will abandon a lot of projects you started, and it’s okay – I promise you will get back to them one day. A lot of times I find myself overthinking a project/scene, and this is the moment I say “that’s enough” and just do something, no matter what. Also, I learned it in a hard way though, – 90% of what you think is visible, is invisible to others. The wrecked angle, broken perspective, not exact color you were planning to use – you are the only one that will see it. So, don’t overthink, just go on.