Interior picture Mask of the Elephant

Vanda Orlova, Ukraine

Vanda Orlova is a Ukrainian artist, known as VANDA, is included in the TOP of the best artists in the world according to the most influential international rating agency Artfacts, has formed her own artistic style and technique of "solarism" (from the Latin "solar" - solar), thanks to which her paintings seem to "come to life" in the daylight of different times of the day. This artistic style is inspired by sunlight, and the technique is multi-layering of oil and acrylic paint and gilding with various forms (liquid, powder, spray). This allows the canvases to change depending on the angle of lighting, giving the viewer a feeling of living presence. In her work, Wanda explores the play of sunlight and color, striving to convey emotional and semantic shades through the harmony of form and sunlight. Her works have already gained international recognition, participating in numerous competitions and exhibitions, and are in private collections in Ukraine (in particular, in Lina Kostenko's), the USA, Italy, Canada and other countries. Wanda is the author and implementer of unique art projects "Draw Me a Poem by Lina Kostenko" and "Mosaic of Ukrainian Heritage", which unite Ukrainian artists and revive, preserve and popularize the multifaceted cultural heritage of Ukraine. Participant of numerous international competitions, including the International United Kingdom’s Artist Award - Top 10 London (Great Britain), Jackson's Art Prize 2024 (Great Britain), The Chelsea International Fine Art Competition 2024 (USA), BBA Artist Prize 2024 (Berlin, Germany) and Art Maze Mag (Great Britain). Her creative path, which began as a study of artistic expression, turned into an experiment with light, color and texture, which in 2024 led her to create her own artistic style and technique. "Solarium" became a reflection of the very nature of light - from the Latin "solar", meaning "solar", - and opened a new dimension in painting, in which paintings literally "come to life" in light rays, changing their appearance depending on the lighting. The essence of VANDA's solarism lies not only in technical techniques, but also in the deep philosophy of light as a symbol of warmth, life, movement. With the help of golden melt, multi-layered strokes and often textured elements, her canvases recreate the play of sunlight, which adds not only visual dynamics to the picture, but also metaphorical meaning. This approach allows you to create the effect of a "living painting" that interacts with the viewer in real time, changing throughout the day, as if breathing and responding to the light. VANDA (Vanda Orlova) embodies in her works the inner journey of a woman who has gone through her own dark times and found the light within herself. This is a visual poetry of rebirth, strength and hope, created in her original artistic style and technique of solarism - a metaphor for the unstoppable flow of light even in the deepest darkness. The central theme of her work is dawn as a conscious choice and life position. On the canvases, it is not just a fragment of light, but a living emotional space that changes under the influence of natural lighting and the viewer's gaze, as if recreating the movement of the inner dawn. The multilayered structure in the solarism technique creates depth, volume and the illusion of breathing light that transforms but never fades. Each work becomes an invitation to enter this space, feel how light sprouts through the darkness, and make your own choice in its favor - despite everything. The process of developing her technique was a process of constant search and experimentation for Wanda. She tried different materials, trying to find a way to convey the dynamism of light, which constantly changes the mood of the painting. It is this connection between the warmth of the sun's rays and the multi-layeredness of paints and potala that gives her paintings the ability to "come to life" in the presence of the viewer, creating a unique world where the depth of color is combined with the play of light. Wanda is currently working on a series of new paintings that she plans to present at her first solo exhibition. Until now, these works remain mysterious and we can only see their parts in the photo. Each canvas reflects the interaction of texture and light, creating a living experience for the viewer, inviting them to immerse themselves in the moment of encounter with warmth, light and new senses. These are not just works of art, but a way to share the feeling of hope and harmony embodied in the "living paintings" of solarism, which, according to the artist's intention, leave a warm and unforgettable mark on the soul.