Katerina Bim
Your work is deeply influenced by Christian art and theology. How has this background shaped your approach to visual storytelling?
The meaning of visual images has always been important to me, and since my youth, I have seen symbolic meanings in various natural phenomena and events. By studying theology, philosophy, and psychology, I have accumulated a wealth of spiritual and allegorical symbols, which I strive to express through my thoughts, experiences, and hopes.
Katerina Bim | Mountain Lake | 2024
You mention the use of medieval and iconographic symbols in your work. How do these historical elements relate to contemporary themes in your art?
By using stylized references to icons and early Christian images, I explore how modern people perceive the spiritual world, as the search for God and the pursuit of happiness are eternal quests for people in any era. Since my background includes creating animated films and working in animation, the naive, somewhat childlike characters in my paintings combine iconographic simplicity with modern graphic stylization.
You employ abstract elements and stylization in your pieces. How do you balance abstraction with the representation of human emotion and connection?
The abstract spots in my paintings are often created intuitively. Through drips of paint and random brush movements, I depict a kind of fractal branching, a cosmic pulsation of all living things. I connect these living lines to the naturalness and purity of the human soul, which comes into the world for happiness, joy, and light.
Katerina Bim | Angels of the Era | 2024
The theme of the “lost paradise” appears in your art as a quest for harmony. How do you convey this ideal world through your use of color and form?
In the search for happiness, self-realization, and one’s calling, a person often mentally turns to the image of the lost paradise, where God reigns, Love prevails, and there are no wars or suffering. I enjoy depicting this harmonious, otherworldly world of God’s kingdom, where the divisions of evil are overcome both within us and around us. While this may not be an achievable reality in our world, flashes and glimpses of this kingdom occur in the lives of everyone who has experienced love and joy and can see beauty. Soft pastel colors, combined with earthy tones and bright neon flashes, help me express this connection between the heavenly and earthly, the unattainable and the embodied.
Your technique uses vibrant acrylics and a watercolor-like effect. How do you achieve this, and what does this effect bring to the spiritual themes you explore?
Acrylic paints diluted with water allow for quick layering, adding vibration and liveliness to the lines, and the texture of the canvas that shows through the paint creates a watercolor effect, emphasizing the elusive and intangible nature of the theme.
Katerina Bim | Pearl | 2024
Can you explain the importance of relationships and unity in your paintings? How do the flowing colors and intertwined figures symbolize this?
The flowing color spots and smooth lines connect the figures and objects in my paintings with bonds of relationships, making them unified. In this peaceful communication, the characters seem to find completeness in existence. The gentle shades and the colors merging into one another also seem to connect the objects in the painting, highlighting the interconnectedness of all living things.
Your works often feature characters in moments of calm interaction. What role does this peaceful communication play in your exploration of spiritual fulfillment?
In today’s fragmented world, invisible threads — connections of love and friendship, tenderness and care — are especially valuable. Truly, every person seeks the Other with a capital “O.” Ultimately, this is the search for the God of Love. I try to capture this silence and depth of communication between loving beings, where even silence with one another enriches the experience, and when you look into the eyes of the beloved, you become yourself.
Katerina Bim | Lamb | 2024
Kateryna Bim is an artist with a theological background, working with the theme of the spiritual world of humans and the search for happiness, using the language of myths and symbols in painting.
Born in Moscow in 1983, she graduated from the “Institute of Graphics and Book Art named after V.A. Favorsky” in 2006 (Moscow State University of Printing). She studied under Vladimir Kosynkin and also worked with artists such as Vladimir Kireev and Leonid Rabins.
Kateryna is a third-generation artist, raised in a creative atmosphere. After completing her degree in fine arts, she worked as an illustrator, designer, director, and artist in animated films (Soyuzmultfilm Studio, Ivan Maksimov’s animation studio, “Shara” studio), as well as a photo artist. She also completed theological and historical studies at the St. Philaret’s Institute.
Her areas of interest include philosophy, theology, and depth psychology. Kateryna returned to easel painting as her primary activity in 2020.
In recent years, Kateryna has actively exhibited her work, is a member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia, and has received awards. Her works are held in private collections in Russia and abroad (France, Norway, the USA, Georgia).
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