“Conexión estelar”
For most artists, painting a human head is a matter of rendering a portrait of someone that captures their facial features and expressions. For Chilean-born, Portugal-based painter Katarina Abovic, it’s a far more introspective experiment; an attempt at translating and showing what goes on inside our brains. “For me, the head is never only a portrait,” Abovic tells My Modern Met. “It is an entrance point into a larger inner landscape, and into the many layers of information and emotion that a painting can hold.”
In Abovic’s compositions, a myriad of shapes and hues are brought together, almost echoing the billons of neurons our brains hold and visualizing the limitless knowledge, feelings, and reflections that take place within. “I am inspired by the desire to bring figuration and abstraction together, and sometimes to introduce geometry as a quiet structure underneath,” Abovic explains. “I am always looking for a sense of ‘space’ in the canvas. A kind of atmosphere where a figure can emerge, but also where the viewer can feel depth, silence, and openness.”
To achieve this, Abovic works with acrylic paint, which allows her to paint the way she wants to. “I work in layers, and the faster drying time gives me a rhythm that feels more natural. It lets me build, adjust, and refine without waiting for long periods, which keeps the process alive and responsive,” the artist shares. To her, acrylics also feel friendly and versatile. “I can push them toward softness or sharpness, transparency or density,” she says, “depending on what the painting needs in that moment.”
Abovic describes her creative process as having two sides that complement each other; one very intuitive and impulsive, and the other methodical and grounded. “I have moments when images, compositions, or concepts arrive quickly and vividly, almost like sparks that light up my mind,” the artist says about the former. The latter then translates that initial energy into real work. “This part is about showing up consistently, building the painting step by step, and doing the quiet, patient labor that allows an idea to become a finished piece.”
Just like there’s a duality in her artistic practice, there are also two sides to what sparks her creativity. “Inspiration comes from both outside and within,” Abovic shares. “Sometimes it starts with what I observe in the places where I live. Light, atmosphere, architecture, and small recurring details. Other times it comes from my inner world: memory, imagination, and my own human experience.”
In the end, her works may be the closest we get to a true “universal” portrait; one that allows us all to see ourselves. As for the artist, she hopes viewers connect with her paintings through their own experiences. “I want the work to create a pause,” she says. “A moment of presence, stillness, and inner space. If the paintings can help someone feel more connected to themselves, and also to what is beyond the physical form, then the work has done what I hope it can do.”
To stay up to date with the artist’s work, follow Katarina Abovic on Instagram.
Artist Katarina Abovic doesn’t simply paint a face or head. She visualizes the “inner landscape” of the mind.
“Transformación”
In Abovic’s compositions, a myriad of shapes and hues are brought together to represent what goes on inside our brains.
“Despertar”
“Identidad Mutable”
The artist describes her creative process as having two sides that complement each other: one is intuitive and impulsive, and the other is methodical and grounded.
“Entre dimensiones”
She says, “I am inspired by the desire to bring figuration and abstraction together, and sometimes to introduce geometry as a quiet structure underneath.”
“Metamorfosis”
“I want the work to create a pause. A moment of presence, stillness, and inner space.”
“Flux”
“If the paintings can help someone feel more connected to themselves, and also to what is beyond the physical form, then the work has done what I hope it can do.”
“Freedom Within I”
