From Doodles to Iconic Art Installations: an artist’s journey [inside my journal]

Vienna-based artist Zhanina Marinova has been drawing since kindergarten. Now part of the paper republic team (want to join us?) she shares her journey from childhood doodles, to gigantic installations in some of Austria’s most iconic spaces, and how her paper republic journal plays its part in her artwork...

You live and work in Vienna but where are you from originally?

I’m from Varna in Bulgaria, on the seaside. I was born there, I grew up there, and I lived there until my 19th birthday. Then I moved to Vienna for my studies.

Were you interested in art as a child? 

Yes. My interest in art began when I was five years old. It started in kindergarten where we had a drawing class. Since then, I have never stopped. I went to Art High School in Bulgaria, where I studied printmaking, painting, academic drawing and sculpture. 

How did you end up in Vienna? 

My parents were always very supportive of my artistic direction. I point that out, because not all parents are excited or happy when their kids want to approach a career in art.

When I began researching options for studying art as a degree, I learned about the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. The Graphics/ Drawing and Printmaking program was my dream at the time, and it was also free for EU citizens.

I had to put together a physical art portfolio and prepare for a highly competitive entrance exam which was all very stressful, but I luckily made it on my first try. I still was in high school at that point, so I was beyond happy about the fact that I was among the eight accepted people in the program.

How would you describe your style of art? 

I often make large, abstract pieces, inspired by memories, thoughts and everyday life. In Bulgaria, I studied academic drawings, anatomy and the classical way of approaching visual arts.

I studied drawing and printmaking, which naturally resulted in me always starting with an analogue drawing as a base of each project. Drawings on transparent materials, transparent folios or papers with ink or pencils. without using any computers or digital tools. Then I expose my works on to the silk screen, so I can print the motives on lots of different surfaces. 

A lot of my works are site-specific installations, which embody analogue drawings, printmaking, painting and sculptures all at the same time, letting the viewer experience them from different angles and walk around them.  

How do you use your paper republic journals for your artwork?

I have a leather portfolio that I made myself at paper republic which I use to capture ideas. If something pops into my mind, I will quickly sketch it out in my notebook. I also find my journal very helpful to structure my daily tasks and my plans for upcoming exhibitions and keeping up with my to-do lists. 

In terms of paper I have a plain notebook and a dotted notebook. I really like the dotted; I hadn't tried that before, but it works very well, especially for bullet journalling. It really helps me clarify my thoughts and ideas. Previously, I was making notes on my phone or iPad but it’s not the same at all, especially for a person who hates working on computer.

One of your most striking installations was in the iconic Saint Michael’s Church in Vienna, on the theme of human trafficking. How did that come about?

That was a collaboration between the church and our university class. Every student had the opportunity to submit an idea on the topic of human trafficking. I developed a concept with naked female bodies and abstract forms. Mine was chosen to be the piece that would be commissioned. 

It was huge: 11 meters by 5 meters, 55 square meters of painting! Everything needed to happen very quickly; I had only two weeks to complete the work. It was a very interesting experience but a cold one; I did it in January and it was zero degrees inside the space where I worked and I had to wear three layers of clothing!

What happened to the piece after the exhibition was over?

It's still being stored in the church. It's a little sad that it’s now folded up, out of sight. It would be great if it could be exhibited again, even in a different place, in a different context. 

A lot of your work is installations which have a limited show time. Does the short life span bother you?

No, because that's how my type of art works. Sometimes old pieces are re-exhibited in a different way; mixed and matched to create something new. But every exhibition has a lifespan and that is the nature of this type of art. Some artists in the genre have spent over 30 years developing a concept that lasts just a few days. 

How do you go from idea to installation?

It's a combination of chaos and order; a blend of academic knowledge, regarding composition, colours, and combinations, plus my abstract shapes and free flowing ideas. It’s a paradox combination of control and intuition. I never do prototypes. I never do proof prints. I sit in front of the blank ‘canvas’ and just start drawing. 

When I do print making, I directly print the image (the motive) on to the chosen surface, without knowing if it's going to be a success or failure. During the process, there can be moments when I don't like the piece, but I continue working, and in the end, the layers of print, shapes and colours connect, allowing me to dive into the process of printmaking, which involves surprises and mistakes which I see as the beauty of this artistic process. I love that because it’s just like real life – full of learning moments and errors.

What is the piece that you are most proud of?

That's a hard question to answer. I love all of them. If I had to choose, I would say the piece in the church as well my last solo exhibition 'Bedtime stories'. This was very different from all my other work and solo exhibitions. In the case of the church painting it was a big experience to see this huge piece come to life.

I painted it on the floor, so I had never seen it hanging before it was properly installed, and it felt surreal to see it in this famous institution in the middle of Vienna. And the fact that I was still a student at that point made it very significant for me. 

Finally, where can people see or buy your work?

As well as the large art installations, I also do canvases and small format works: screenprint and painting on plexiglass, as well as on wooden panels. I'm currently represented by Gallery Rudolf Leeb in Austria, who I’ve been working with since 2019. 

I'm also working with another platform – Kunst ab Hinterhof – based in Vienna, where you can see my work. They have everything stored there, and have an online shop too. I have different side projects which are in progress and I am always open to different scale collaborations and making bespoke pieces for collectors.

Learn more about Zhanina’s fantastic art and exhibitions at: ZhaninaMarinova.com

Photo credits: Alexandra Nikolova, Zhanina Marinova, Marko Zinc, NARRITIVA Gallery, Viadukt Screenprints, BUNA 1 / Largo Gallery, Pavel Gramatikov.