Milissa Levi - contemporary artist

Painting M, 2022

The project lasted 2 months and began with the task of making a white paper sculpture, using a single sheet of absorbent cotton, on a loose theme, without the use of glue or any other improvised materials. The sculpture alternation involved an introduction to drawing (including consideration of the

different ways in which drawing and sculpture interrelate). There will also be

consideration of scale, texture, form, and the "truth" of materials.

This project has taught me to revisit the work I have done over and over again, to analyze it in new ways, and to progress through the experience. Reflecting on the experience is a very important part of the practice.

The Paper Sculpture project stumped me from the beginning as I had no idea how I could create a paper sculpture without using other materials, especially glue. However, after deep research, I was inspired by sculptors such as Richard Serra and Anish Kapoor. Subsequently, I had many ideas of what could be done in the form of a sculpture and ended up with not one work but two. The first, the English letter M, was inspired by Anish Kapoor's “Cloud Gate”, 2004, and Richard Serra's “Inside Out”, 2013, as well as Henry Moore's sculpture “Large Torso:Arch”, 1962-1963. This experience made me rethink the importance of deep analysis and the influence of other contemporary artists on my own practice.

The resultant outcome from the paper sculpture was "Painting M", which I believe is one of the most successful projects in my practice and is a work that incorporates two previous projects and gathers a vast amount of experience into a single outcome. This work is proof that I kept coming back and revisiting my research again and again, each time noticing new possibilities and benefits. Oil painting has helped me to go beyond my limits and combine different techniques, ideas and visual languages into one physical object. I was inspired by artist Wang Guanglie's painting technique and his smooth transitions from one hue to another, especially in paintings such as "181004", 2018 and "220228", 2022.

I was able to continue exploring past projects and not stop at one place, but to refine the work, giving it new possibilities, more specificity and clarity. Moreover, working on this painting, I tried new techniques, materials and painting methods, combining texture with smoothness, complementary palette with monochrome, light and shadow so that everything looks harmonious.

Idea:

I was inspired by three contemporary sculptors, Anish Kapoor, Henry Moore and Richard Serra. These artists worked with volumes in a multifaceted and versatile way, deeply exploring forms and methods of visualizing their work.

Henry Moore's sculpture "Large Torso: The Arch" 1962-1963 was the starting point of my project and the object of inspiration. Although this sculpture is a rendering of the humerus of a male torso, the work evokes other associations and interpretations; visually it reminded me of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and seemed like a statue with someone's name veiled in it, or a symbol of culture. Then I had the idea to study the different letters of the Hebrew and other alphabets and somehow connect my project to the culture of letters, which flows into the history of the alphabet and is in some ways an important part of cultures.

Anish Kapoor's sculptures, and in particular “Cloud Gate” from 2004-2006, attracted me with their three-dimensional forms and 3D visualization. In his works, the artist was inspired by natural phenomena, which makes his works airy and not earthly, giving them new meanings. This encouraged me to experiment with volume and create 3D visualizations of what we often see in 2D space.

Richard Serra's work was inspired by its monumentality and full sense of labyrinthine space — how the artist introduced his sculptures into an environment where people saw his art, rather than what the sculpture itself looked like.

The process of making the sculptures:

I decided to make two sculptures that are conceptually the same — different variations of letters as 3D objects, but have 3 differences: format, language and visualization.

The first sculpture looks like a small mock-up of a labyrinthine space, somewhat similar to Richard Serra's visualization work, in the shape of the Hebrew letter "MEM" (I chose the letter "M" because I think it is the most interestingly shaped letter of the Hebrew alphabet) and inspired by Moore's sculpture. (Photos 3 and 5 show this sculpture already in a painted version)

My second work is more focused on exploring concrete form and volume not in space, but in the sculpture itself. This sculpture also depicts the letter "M", but this time in English, as I was interested in experimenting with the perception of the same object in completely different visual and linguistic ways. (Photos 2, 4 and 6 show this sculpture already in a painted version).

Description and process of creating a painting:

This project was a huge study for me and I did a lot of experiments and tests before creating the final large painting.

Initially, I had no idea how my painting would look, what colours and techniques I wanted to work in, which sculpture of the two to choose for further work. So I started my research and did 4 studies on small canvases. This was my first experience with oil painting and I quickly got used to the oil and tried to invest in 4 studies of a variety of visual languages. My style of painting itself is quite figurative and detailed, but in this case it is also abstract, because no matter how clearly the pictures were painted, it is not clear what is depicted on them precisely because my sculptures themselves are quite unusual in form and appearance.

After doing these 4 studies (Photos 3, 4, 5, 6), the first thing I realized is that realism is a style close to me, so I started to develop the idea of the final painting in this direction, however, I also realized that I like different techniques and colour contrasts, which I would like to combine in one work, not to be afraid to go beyond and experiment, but to make the work look harmonious.

Before starting the final painting, I encountered many contradictions and nuances. Painting is a more systemic story and requires a careful and thoughtful approach. I started my painting with the understanding only that I want to make it very bright, in warm colours, but at the same time make it deep and due to the dark contrasting background to make the picture further. And I also wanted to try not to use black and add texture, volume to the work. I started painting with an underpainting to better understand what colours would fit the idea.

The composition of the sculpture is built in such a way that the object is slightly cut off at the edges, a little does not fit within the limits of the canvas, and this gives it depth and volume (and also in size).

I made the background quite dark, with a smooth transition to the light. I covered the edges of the sculpture itself with texture paste to highlight the object itself and give it physical volume. I chose a monochrome colour scheme, as well as a complimentary one.

The painting and colour combination turned out to be very successful. Visually it looks very bright, as I wanted, but at the same time quite deep due to the dark colors and the background. One gets the feeling that a bright light shines on the object and it just glows from the inside and outside. And when the painting was already completed, I noticed that the background was shaped like a highlighted, contoured circle, which reminded me of the appearance of a planet. I noticed similar plots and outlines while still in the research phase in Franz Ackerman's works such as “Construction”, 2019, “Secret Tunnel”, 1999, and “Mind Map: Evasion VI”, 1996. It also glows and brings the image closer to us, and the background makes it even deeper. The shadows in the picture look very believable, but at the same time they are not very striking.

What I like the most is that I managed to give the painting a certain old-fashioned, freshness — that is, relevance at all times, but at the same time worn, saying that it is something adult. My sculpture initially has a historical and important cultural context. Through the painting, I was much better able to convey the value and importance of this sculpture and idea than through photographs on film (Photo 2).

Passing of Time, 2023

The idea of time and movement is of particular interest, especially when applied to everyday life, reminding us of the constant race against time. The human body, reflecting the anticipation, the loss of time and responding to different situations and actions, is the embodiment of this concept. Hands, as a mirror of time, can be an expressive indicator of age, experience, and fatigue, revealing unique personality traits, helping to guess occupation, and conveying messages through gestures. As Jackson (1984) notes, "Hands are a manifestation of our uniqueness and individuality, which are evident in every movement and gesture."

My work has led to the study of many linguistic and other gestures that symbolize words, numbers, symbols, and incorporate many religious and social aspects of communication. Trying to eliminate even the smallest overlap with other references, I found that hands can convey deep meaning without the inclusion of other body parts, becoming key elements of an image. Hand positions can express emotions, movements, notions of time and expectation.

I developed an extensive photo collection representing unique hand positions, which provided rich opportunities for a creative project. Making many visual and conceptual decisions regarding color, format, shape, number of hands on each canvas, and overall number of paintings, I sought the judgment of others, gathering their thoughts and interpretations.

The feedback showed that the art evoked a sense of time and raised a variety of issues while remaining open to individual interpretation. Viewers detected symbols and letters on the phalanges of the hands, formed by detailed drawing of wrinkles and skin texture, and even recognized the hands as belonging to subway passengers, despite the lack of a specific background. The dark and mysterious background evoked religious associations for some, while others found a cinematic or theatrical style in certain poses and backgrounds.

The series of ten 90x120 paintings demonstrates a progressive simplification of technique and a degradation of detail: from highly detailed depictions of hands against a dark background to less detailed hands against a more developed background.

The first works in the series primarily represent the passage of time, depicted using warm, muted hues and slightly blurred edges, and the aged hands evoke a sense of tranquility, hinting at the inevitable nature of aging. Time slips away, memories fade, but history preserves everything like human hands. The enigmatic background invites exploration of the unknown, adding grandiose context to the work.

The middle works depict the hands of middle-aged people with less intricate contours. The background takes on a more distinct shape, exposing recognizable silhouettes that approach but do not reach reality. This segment represents the middle of the series, illustrating the gradual passage of time. Colors become more monochromatic, details fade away, and physical realism gives way to abstract comprehension. This piece uses visuals to help the audience understand the passage of time. It provokes introspection and inspires hope for the future.

The last works present a visually distinctive narrative that may not seem directly related to the first paintings, but have similarities to the second part. The hands in the last two works are completely empty, appearing younger and more inexperienced. The surroundings are depicted with precision, symbolizing an uncharted time. They convey the notion that there is a lifetime ahead, waiting to be experienced and embraced, hence the gray neutral background, symbolizing the undiscovered nature of time - it has not acquired a definite color, but has a form.

The sequence of paintings encourages contemplation, seemingly progressing from older to younger. However, it embodies the essence of perception, representing the inverse of life, time and the eternal cycle of sensation and interpretation. One may have a vast experience but lose touch with the passage of time, while another may exist with an empty shell but fully embrace the present moment and time.

These works encapsulate the essence of artistic endeavor, each self-sufficient and generally representing three major stages, from the tangible experience of lived time to the intangible potential of unlived time, yet encapsulating the profound value of the present.

Body & Space, 2021

Professionally brushing my teeth in the elevators of the capital, do not miss it.

The project was to create a photo series of 20 images taken exclusively on camera, capturing exactly yourself in the camera lens. The photos had to be subordinated to one concept, using different or one of the techniques given to us on the test versions earlier. (one location, 20 different actions; 20 different locations, one action; shooting at shutter speed; framing; different focal lengths; shooting one day at different times; shooting 20 days at the same time; one perspective; one color; and more)

The idea was that people in today's world have a frantic pace of life and sometimes they do not have time to do the necessary procedures and handle important and paramount things. Therefore, what if people would take a toothbrush with them and brush their teeth, for example, in the elevator — after all, the elevator is an ideal place in which very often you can stay alone and take time for yourself (to paint your lips, make up your eyes, as many people do). Only on a mass and universal level. Wild, but how possible.

If you will notice, every picture shows a sign taped to an elevator that forbids brushing your teeth. This contradiction is designed to say — Do not be afraid to stand out from the crowd, do not be afraid to break the rules, because that is what they are made for, to know to be able to break them, live in your comfort and do not be afraid of judgment.

There are people who carry a toothbrush with them and brush their teeth in public restrooms. There are people who do not brush their teeth at all.

What about in an elevator? Wouldn't that be more convenient? Maybe faster? Why do not you try it?

In the process of creating the photo and dirty mirrors were, and dialogues with elevator passengers, and quarrels with cameras in elevators through which the person spoke, and stickers forgotten in elevators, and a photo from the elevator of Ritz-Carlton and much more

6 Spirals, 2022

A series of 6 paintings dealing with system based drawing and colour scheme. 6 optical illusions in the form of a spiral pattern in mixed media. The middle spiral was drawn with a marker on the canvas, the remaining 5 on both sides were identically copied with a brush and paints, filling in the lines themselves and the background manually. Transformation of a simple process into a complex one by changing the execution technique. The project shows a systematic approach, as well as the inversion of given colours into negative space from the reverse side and the change in visual perception by inverting each surface

(Video)

Japanese Vase, 2021

I have been sculpting this vase for a year.

This is my diploma work at the Vrubel Art School. Initially I was not going to do a diploma in ceramics, as I was always afraid that my work might get bumped and break, but I was persuaded. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to sculpt a large and spectacular sculpture, namely a vase. I remember how my teacher Tatyana Vasilyevna and I went and looked for inspiration, and not finding it, I just had to sit down and sculpt a sketch. In fact, the sketch had a huge role in the creation of the work, because it gave the basis for the solution of my composition. I originally wanted to depict something figurative on the vase, like heads, but not human heads. I was interested in nature and the animal world, but not familiar and banal, but ancient, even a little fictional. That is why I had a lot of dates with Japanese books during the quarantine. The sketches on paper looked quite different, as well as the vase itself and its colors, than the final version.

It was carried to the kiln more than 4 times, back and forth, by two or even three people. This vase is over 90 centimeters long. The sketch has been enlarged eight times. It is a monumental sculpture with large forms and solutions. I was inspired by Japanese dragons and Japanese culture, however the vase has no definite style other than my own. The creation process also had its challenges. For example, just when I was getting into the swing of things, we were quarantined.

Also for the first six months, the bottom of the vase, which everyone called a tire because of the enormous resemblance, did not match the top at all, and when I fixed that problem, a new one appeared! Namely, the vase was split in two places, for easy movement into the kiln and easy firing. However, when I finished it, we discovered that the bottom had just glued itself to death and was no longer separating, so it is only removable in one place and I have no idea how much it weighs. I had quite a few problems with the colors too. Firstly, there was not enough time, secondly, to my great regret, you will never guess what color you will get after firing, as these paints are somehow magical. We made 8 different samples of different colors, numbered and named each color, signed all the mixed colors and finally settled on two of the 8.

G allery