Growing up under the influence of an artist father, Irinka Talakhadze has been deeply immersed in the world of art from her earliest memories. The passing of her father left a profound impact on her, and creating art has become a way for her to feel a connection with him, infusing her work with an added layer of emotional significance. Each piece she creates is imbued with the desire to convey the energy and emotions she experiences, inviting viewers to partake in and resonate with those same feelings. For her, inspiration is boundless and can be drawn from any aspect of life. She finds spontaneity in the works of Francis Bacon and inspiration in the smallest, most ordinary moments of daily life.
Her art frequently explores the essence of existence, turning the ordinary into the unique and leading viewers to discover inspiration in all parts of life.
If you were to paint a scene from your earliest childhood memory, what would it depict, and why is it significant to you?
In my artistic experience, I have never painted any memories from the past, but the best childhood memories are every day spent with my father. This is very personal for me, which I have never tried to convey on canvas.
If you could revisit one specific moment from your childhood, which moment would it be?
I would go back to any moment I have spent with my father.
Reflecting on your childhood, what smells, sounds, or textures evoke the strongest memories for you? How do these sensory experiences influence your creative process?
The smell of oil paints is most associated with my childhood because my father always used them to paint. However, as I mentioned before, none of this has anything to do with the current creative process.
Reflecting on your childhood in your hometown, which specific moment or memory stands out to you the most, and how does it inspire your artistic expression today?
The smell of oil paints is most associated with my childhood because my father always used them to paint. However, as I mentioned before, none of this has anything to do with the current creative process.
Imagine your hometown as a color palette. What hues dominate the landscape, architecture, and overall ambiance, and how do they influence your artistic choices?
If I could imagine my city as a color palette, I would say that it is a mix of earth and muted gray tones. This combination creates complex, seemingly incompatible colors, but at the same time transitory harmony. Many people see transitional processes in my works, but I can definitely say that the colors of my city have not influenced it.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
There are many artists I would collaborate with, so that's hard to divide one. I do not consider collaborations to advance my artistic level, but to get the pleasure of having dialogue with them about art and their perspective on it. Who I consider mostly close to me is Francis Bacon because I think that our worldview and views on painting and life are very similar.
Imagine your art as a recipe. What ingredients would it have, and what would the final dish taste like?
I think this should be a dessert. Slice the banana into pieces and arrange them in a semicircle on a plate. Place a cream-filled doughnut in the center, and top it all off with grated chocolate and berries.
If your art could travel through time, where would it go?
Through 19th century in the West Europe.
If your art could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I don't think it would change anything, but if it could, it would probably change the fear that nests in people that doesn't actually exist.
Imagine your art came to life as a character in a story. Describe its personality and what adventures it would embark on.
Each one of my characters features a particular identity that comes through within the way that they all have horns. The horns stand for everyone's inalienable capacity for both great and fiendish. These horns are as of now being consolidated into my characters as in spite of the fact that they are a ordinary human characteristic. My characters travel through legendary domains and parallel universes where other species are not anxious of horns on a human body.
Find out more about Irinka here
