Polina Kniaz-Petukhovsky

Year of birth: 1990 
Where do you live: Dubai, UAE
Your education: HSE, ISM, Boston University, Central Saint Martins (UAL)
Describe your art in three words: surrealistic, expressive, vivid
Your discipline: surrealistic figurative painting and sculpture
Website | Instagram

Your work explores themes of childhood trauma and emotional struggles. How do you translate these intensely personal experiences into your art?

It would be more correct to say that I explore intense emotions, including emotions caused by childhood memories and acute situations which still linger in the body and mind.  They not only cause internal dialogues but also affect our decisions and actions. I do not bring only personal experience to my work. I am susceptible, and I feel the states of people, how they think, and what problems they have. I aim to dig deeper. Afterwards, I imagine how these internal cartoons would look on canvas or in clay. However, I do not focus on the negative outcome; I work with trauma and transform it into an inspiring and beautiful configuration throughout my work.

You often use vivid colours and symbolic forms in your compositions. What role do colour and symbolism play in your work, and how do they help convey the hidden meanings behind your pieces?

Vivid colours are natural for me as they cause the most intense response. Symbolic forms also come naturally to me as I do not think of the form when I draw. I focus on the transformation of forms, feelings, and meanings I would love to imprint into my work.

Polina Kniaz-Petukhovsky | Conception | 2023

Feminist themes seem to be at the core of your practice. How do you approach the concept of womanhood and identity in a world that constantly challenges and questions them?

Feminist themes are essential for me as I am inspired by powerful women who gain more and more weight in society. Female feelings are also commonly considered to be too intense, inappropriate, and vast. Women are taught to tame their inner monsters and voices instead of investigating what they call for.

Your work often involves surrealistic and dreamlike imagery. Can you talk about how you blend reality with fantasy in your art?

I used to blend reality with fantasy, but from now on, I decided to be bolder in my expressions and rarely use non-imaginary forms.

Polina Kniaz-Petukhovsky | Damaged Truth | 2023

You employ clay and oil paints in your practice, using glazing techniques and meticulous detailing. What draws you to these mediums, and how do they help you express the complexities of your themes?

I love gradients and detailed work; they add volume and pleasure to my perception.

You’ve moved frequently and studied in different countries – how have other cultures influenced your artistic practice or your approach to creating art?

I have lived in six countries, including the UAE. However, my path to becoming a visual artist was not straightforward. Although I had always had a strong interest in art, I started my career when I settled in Dubai. In my visual practices, I do not look for inspiration from the outside; I focus on internal processes. So, I can say that my art is affected not by different cultures but by meeting different people and personal growth as a woman, a human, a wife, an entrepreneur, a rescue animal advocate and in other social roles.

Your works seem to provoke an intense dialogue with the viewer. How do you want your audience to feel when they engage with your art?

I love that everyone sees something unique in my paintings and that they provoke different opinions and thoughts. However, I want my audience to feel grounded, calm and inspired after an encounter with my work.

Polina Kniaz-Petukhovsky | I See You | 2025