Daria Denisova

Daria in her studio

Daria Denisova was born in 1997 in Orenburg. In 2017, she graduated from the Orenburg Regional Art School with a degree in painter-teacher, taught in her hometown. In 2018, she moved to St. Petersburg, was a student of courses at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen. Now she lives in Moscow and studies the art of icon painting at the icon-painting school of the church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki. Daria's works were shown at the personal exhibition "Let's See" in the gallery of Marina Plyushchikova (2017, Orenburg), she also took part in the collective exhibition of young artists "KTOMY" at the Orenburg Museum of Fine Arts (2018) and in the exhibition at VGallery (2018, St. Petersburg). Daria mainly paints portraits and landscapes, combining their individual elements in such a way that the plot and composition of each picture are spontaneous and organic. Colors are selected similarly, they do not compete, but complement each other, forming a natural contrast and proportionally placed accents. Her works were acquired by collectors based in Moscow, Milan, Berlin, and Los Angeles, as well as some works, are presented at NFT sites.

Can you tell us a bit about the process of making your work? 

The work process begins either with a search: I do compositional searches in my sketchbook, or begin to directly work on canvas. I just sit down in front of a white primed canvas, and my hand is already gliding it over it.

Daria Denisova
Madonna, 2020.
Acrylics on canvas.
19 x 39 inches (48.26 x 99.06 cm).
$900

What are you working on at the moment?

Currently, I am working on creating textiles and ceramics. Actually, I recently created a special project dedicated to Russian Orthodox Easter. You can check it out by visiting my website: https://dshkmnshk.com

Your work is so heavily layered; how do you go about the process of
building your work up? When do you feel as though a work is finished?

I draw inspiration from reading and using my extensive collection of books. I love to browse on Tumblr. I am also inspired by non-fiction, such as biographies of prominent people. Above everything else, the biggest inspiration for me is walking. While walking, I can think of a lot and come up with fresh ideas for my work.

Daria’s studio

What are some references you draw upon in your work? Are there any themes in particular that you like to focus on when creating?

I rely on topics related to medieval European history and its aesthetics. I also try to reveal the topic of the Russian Orthodox Church in my oeuvre, staying in dialogue with tradition.

Where are some of your favorite spaces that support contemporary art or design? Now that the art has an online presence has that changed? 

I live in Moscow. I visit museums dedicated to traditional Russian art: the Pushkin Museum, Tretyakov Gallery, Museum of Russian Icons. What I love about Moscow is that I am in the center of Orthodox culture and do not miss the opportunity to visit the most ancient temples, churches where I can see old icons in real life.

Do you have any shows coming up? Anything else you would like to share?

Yes, a very interesting project is coming up soon! I can't share many details yet.

Daria Denisova’s work is included in our show “The Alternative States,” May 3 - June 30, 2021. Visit her website and Instagram (@dashkamonashka)to see more of her work.