ON EARTH
Nelya Akimova / NELYA - NAKI
2018 was very challenging and crucial for me - I changed my country of residence, having moved to Prague, to this most beautiful and mystical city. And I finally changed my profession from doctor and manager to artist.
One of my biggest influences was The Minds of Billy Milligan, by Daniel Keyes. It tells the story of a person, who had dissociative identity disorder.
As a doctor, I became interested in how it is possible for several minds to live in one person at the same time, periodically intercepting control of the body from each other. And this was the beginning of my journey to understanding the other reality of our world on Earth.
Siberia is my homeland. Those who were there in the winter never forget the vastness and purity of the snowy expanses. And, as contrast, concrete structures rise among the snow. This magic remains with you for the rest of your life. I want to convey it in my canvases.
My grandmother was an Altai healer (Altai is a part of Siberia). My father told me something from his childhood. When he was a little boy there were always other children in their house who my grandmother treated for stuttering. And I feel a certain energy that leads me. I think this is the inheritance of my grandmother, transmitted through the love of my father. I dedicated one of my paintings to her.
In 2018, Akimova made a life-changing decision to leave her career as a doctor and manager and fully dedicate herself to art. Relocating to Prague, a city steeped in history and mysticism, she found her artistic voice.
Under the name NELYA-NAKI, she began creating oil-on-canvas works and digital photography, exploring the illusory nature of reality. Her art invites viewers to see beyond the obvious and perceive the world from a different perspective.
Akimova’s education in art has been equally transformative. She studied at the Art Communications School, SCE Institute of the Mediterranean Culture, in Athens, Greece, in 2022 and completed a course at M&C Saatchi Open House in 2023. In 2024, she further deepened her expertise with the course "What is Contemporary Art and Curating?" by Prof. Dr. Dorothee Richter at the On Curating Academy in Berlin and the "Fine Art Portrait" program at Anna Krauklis School of Contemporary Photography. These experiences have not only refined her skills but also ignited her passion to create art that resonates deeply with her audience.
Through her evocative and thought-provoking work, Nelya Akimova continues to inspire viewers to reimagine their perception of reality, solidifying her place as a unique voice in contemporary art.
2024 Art Biennale, group exhibition (Personal Structures / Lucid Dreams), by the European Cultural Centre and Gabriele Fine Arts Gallery, from April 20 to November 24, 2024, Palazzo Bembo, Venice, Italy
2024 Ljubljana Forum 2024, group exhibition, powered by AAMI corporation
2024 Group exhibition “Different but equal”, Pisa Social Art Festival, Pisa, Italy
2024 Group exhibition “Private Property”, Roots Gallery, Pisa, Italy
2024 Group exhibition Inspire Fest, Astana Hub, Kazakhstan
2024 Solo exhibition Karpuchina Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic
2023 Group exhibition SHIM Social Justice at Aqua Art Miami in Miami Art Week 2023, Miami, USA
2023 Group exhibition Art Number 23 Gallery, Athens, Greece
2023 Group exhibition Art Fair FOCUS at Saatchi Gallery, by Gabriele Fine Arts Gallery, London, GB
2023 Group exhibition Art Number 23 Gallery, Salzburg, Austria
2023 Group exhibition Slovanský Dům in Prague powered by AAMI corporation, Czech Republic
2022 Group exhibition Art Fair Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
2019-20 Four group online exhibitions in the gallery, 530 W 25th St, New York, USA.
2019 Group exhibition "Little Treasures" Trevisan International Art, Bologna, Italy
Awards in art competitions:
2019 -20 Invited Jury at Gateway International Painting Competition, USA.
2019 2nd prize, Gateway International Painting Competition, USA.
Art education:
2024 Course “What is Contemporary Art and Curating?” Prof. Dr. Dorothee Richter, On Curating Academy Berlin
2024 Course "Fine Art Portrait" at Anna Krauklis School of Contemporary Photography
2023 Course at M&C Saatchi Open House.
2022 Art Communications School, SCE Institute of the Mediterranean Culture, Athens, Greece.
Publications:
2024 "101 Contemporary Artists and More..." book from Collect Art Work Magazine, volume 6, https://www.scribd.com/document/744200908/101-contemporary-artists-and-more (page 140)
2024 Aesthetica Magazine, Artists' Directory for the June / July 2024 issue (Issue 119)
2024 Collect Art Work Magazine, Spring Issue https://www.scribd.com/document/728103116/Spring-Issue?language_settings_changed=English
2024 catalogues of the exhibition Personal Structures by the European Cultural Centre / Lucid Dreams by Gabriele Fine Arts Gallery, Venice, Italy
2023 Artist Talk Magazine https://www.artisttalkmagazine.com/issue-28
2023 catalogue of the exhibition Art Fair FOCUS at Saatchi Gallery, by Gabriele Fine Arts Gallery, London, GB
https://view.publitas.com/gabriel-fine-arts/focus-catalogue/
2023 Digest «Art Environment» of the Artists Club https://artclub-js.com/nelya-akimova-digital-images
2023 catalogue of the exhibition in ART NUMBER 23 Gallery, Salzburg, Austria
2023 catalogue of the exhibition in Slovanský Dům, Czech Republic
2022 catalogue of the exhibition Modern Art Masters in Complex du Louvre, Paris, France
2019 catalogue of the exhibition "Little Treasures" Trevisan International Art, Bologna, Italy
2019 World Wide Art Magazine https://wwab.us/wwa-magazine-3/
Memberships:
2022-25, Membership at the International Art Club by Julia Sysalova (HQ Greece)
2024-25, Membership at the Club at Anna Krauklis School of Contemporary Photography
2023-25, Membership at the Salvador Club of Artists by AAMI Corporation (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
What if it's true that our whole life on Earth is a big GAME, and we are all just AVATARS? And we can choose our destiny for the next 100 years.
I have already played this game many times. But each time I remembered the rules of the game only when the game was over.
And now, I arranged everything perfectly, chose my parents, and agreed with their souls how they would educate me, how they would pass on the rules of the game to me, which, as it turned out later, they themselves did not remember.
Finally, I was born. And I forgot everything again for the first 50 years. But it seems that this time the secret is revealed, I began to see clearly.
----------------------------
I believe that our life on Earth is a big game.
Coming here we lose our memory and stop hearing our inner voice. And only a strange longing in the chest reminds us of our divine origin.
And the one who manages to remember his humanity and connect the soul and mind is the winner of the game.
The purpose of my art is to draw the viewer's attention to his inner voice, and inner light, to trust him and understand the intention of the soul that once chose this incarnation and this fate. And so break free.
I'm talking about a different way of perceiving our world and aiming to provoke reflection on our choice of whether to enter the infinite cycle again or learn to listen to ourselves.
Sometimes, my paintings are consonant with Picasso's "Guernica", but the world on my canvases does not collapse, but changes, the shades of concrete bring the beauty of creation, the construction of a new world. So purity, undisguised honesty, and strong reliability of the material are combined with the possibility of embodying the most daring and flying ideas of architects.
I use the oil technique, which allows me to work intuitively. Paint applied to the canvas without a preconceived idea symbolizes the uncertainty of life.
I believe that having gone through wars, the destruction of existing systems, and dictatorships, humanity will come to a new era of Goodness, Acceptance, and Freedom. And while the world is on the verge of great changes, we all inevitably feel this Zeitgeist.
Metamodernism perfectly conveys this unity of disturbing reality and the beautiful virtual world and makes it possible to create the Game in the language of art and invite the viewer into it. Here you can make mistakes and not be lost, there is free will, and it is not suppressed, but supported and accepted by society.
What if it's true that our whole life on Earth is a big GAME, and we are all just AVATARS? And we can choose our destiny for the next 100 years.
I have already played this game many times. But each time I remembered the rules of the game only when the game was over.
And now, I arranged everything perfectly, chose my parents, and agreed with their souls how they would educate me, how they would pass on the rules of the game to me, which, as it turned out later, they themselves did not remember.
Finally, I was born. And I forgot everything again for the first 50 years. But it seems that this time the secret is revealed, I began to see clearly.
-----------------------------------------------
I believe that our life on Earth is a big game.
Coming here we lose our memory and stop hearing our inner voice. And only a strange longing in the chest reminds us of our divine origin.
And the one who manages to remember his humanity and connect the soul and mind is the winner of the game.
The purpose of my art is to draw the viewer's attention to his inner voice, and inner light, to trust him and understand the intention of the soul that once chose this incarnation and this fate. And so break free.
I'm talking about a different way of perceiving our world and aiming to provoke reflection on our choice of whether to enter the infinite cycle again or learn to listen to ourselves.
Sometimes, my paintings are consonant with Picasso's "Guernica", but the world on my canvases does not collapse, but changes, the shades of concrete bring the beauty of creation, the construction of a new world. So purity, undisguised honesty, and strong reliability of the material are combined with the possibility of embodying the most daring and flying ideas of architects.
I use the oil technique, which allows me to work intuitively. Paint applied to the canvas without a preconceived idea symbolizes the uncertainty of life.
I believe that having gone through wars, the destruction of existing systems, and dictatorships, humanity will come to a new era of Goodness, Acceptance, and Freedom. And while the world is on the verge of great changes, we all inevitably feel this Zeitgeist.
Metamodernism perfectly conveys this unity of disturbing reality and the beautiful virtual world and makes it possible to create the Game in the language of art and invite the viewer into it. Here you can make mistakes and not be lost, there is free will, and it is not suppressed, but supported and accepted by society.
Since the middle of the 20th century, “game/play” has been one of the main ideas in cultural thought. Its various aspects can be found in the works of José Ortega y Gasset, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Johan Huizinga, and others.
Penetrating all spheres of human life, the gaming concept has become a multisided socio-cultural phenomenon and this is not surprising: everything in this world first appears in our imagination, and later it can become part of the material world. Moreover, in all cultures, games are a means to learn and practice group norms.
If we use this concept to interpret Nelya Akimova`s artistic expression, it can be noticed that in her art “a game” offered to the viewer is a conceptual frame, allowing a smooth transition between reality and a fictional world of fantasy the artist creates.
Revealing all the potential of the canvas available to her, the artist invites the viewer into a space where shortcomings of the chaotic reality are neutralized and a person is provided a way to adapt to it.
This is her experiment and personal and sincere artistic research of the world around her, and being vulnerable is her conscious decision. It is based on the need to create a dialogue with the world with respect for oneself and for the Other.
The Other for Nelya is the one who is opposite or, perhaps, the Other is an inner part of her and our personalities, which we have to perceive and accept, in order to create a place for it. Thus, by uniting our disparate facets, we obtain integrity.
Of course, this is the art of metamodernism: the state of "meta", the moment of transition, in the very essence of contemporality. It forms the context of duality, hesitation, and a combination of the opposite: the unity of disturbing reality and a beautiful fantasy or virtual world.
Her every painting is a concentrated essence of life, a microcosm containing feelings, intellect, and passion of the artist's soul. Just the way the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus compared the Creator of our world with a playing child, the artist suggests that, perhaps, creating the world in the act of playing is human fate. It is no accident that next to the world of nature mankind again and again creates another world, a fictional one.
Stroke after stroke, the artist unites metaphors and elements of reality, shaping her fantastic universe: snow-covered concrete slabs with images that slowly appear on them and unreal digital faces - avatars...
Avatarism as a trend in visual arts is based on the synthesis of the Western intellectual worldview and the spiritual and mystical traditions of the East. Nelya Akimova's avatarism is about freedom of the form: it is her freedom to choose the prism for anticipating the world in order to build her artistic expression. This is also the freedom of choice of the viewer: choosing an avatar within her artistic reality, he can become the best version of himself by individual choice, as suggested by James Cameron.
Just the way she changed her life having moved to another country and became an artist (as if she has consciously changed her avatar), her art reflects the understanding that the future is variable and depends on the choices people make in the present. In other words, this is not only a prediction of possible alternatives for the future, but also the possibility of choosing the most preferable of them.…
Curator, Critic - AICA Member,
Vice President of Institute of the Mediterranean Culture
2024 Art Biennale, group exhibition (Personal Structures / Lucid Dreams), by the European Cultural Centre and Gabriele Fine Arts Gallery,
from April 20 to November 24, 2024, at Palazzo Bembo, Venice, Italy
https://personalstructures.com/
https://personalstructures.com/participants/gabriel-fine-arts/
"This project explores the concept of lucid dreaming and was inspired by the iconic cabinets of curiosities, which were famous for their collections of fascinating artifacts. When you explore the possibility of being aware of a dream-like state while you're still asleep, words become objects in a cabinet of wonders. A dream, perhaps? Or reality? Merger feelings and emotions... surrounded by delightful works of art. Is this a vivid dream or a terrifying nightmare? Are we really in control of the situation, or are we simply trapped in the wonders of the room and unable to escape?"
Dear friends, I would like to present to you the publication of my work in the '101 Contemporary Artists and More...' book, volume 6, from Collect Art Work Magazine.
The book series serves as an aesthetic exploration of what contemporary art offers to viewers and how it intertwines with literature.
My artwork presented in the book:
"Unexpected sympathy"
Oil, canvas, 100x100 cm, 2019-22
Series "Choose your destiny"
https://www.scribd.com/document/744200908/101-contemporary-artists-and-more (page 140)
The canvas captures the harsh reality of imprisonment for free thought in a dehumanized society. Amidst this desolation, a striking moment unfolds as the observer discovers genuine empathy from an unlikely source – a humble prison rat. The painting raises thought-provoking questions about the intrinsic kindness and humanity residing within animals, juxtaposed against the backdrop of a society that seems to have lost touch with its own humanity.
Dear friends, with respect and gratitude, I present to you the publication of my work in the Artists' Directory for the June / July 2024 issue of Aesthetica Magazine (Issue 119)
I am very pleased that the team of curators and editors highly appreciated my work "The Birth of a New Man. Last Try"
This artwork captures the essence of a new individual's birth and a new society's simultaneous emergence. Sincerity and tolerance are born through the lens of pain, blood, and conflict. The cosmic onlookers observe this sacred process without undue pity, understanding the necessity of this sacred process. They believe in us.
from April 20 to November 24, 2024, at Palazzo Bembo, Venice, Italy at Venice Biennale 2024
Group exhibition “Private Property”, Roots Gallery, Pisa, Italy
from May 25 to June 19, 2024
Gallery address:
Corte San Domenico B, 56125 Pisa
Curator: Nadzeya Naurotskaya
The collective project “Private Property” is dedicated to the themes of the body, human rights, the dictatorship of medicine, and the objectification of male and female bodies.
Roots Gallery @roots_art_gallery projects are focused on social topics and always include an interactive part in which viewers can actively participate and live their own experience of a particular social theme.
My artwork presented at the exhibition:
"We won't tell anyone our secret, will we?"
Mixed media, canvas, 50x50cm, 2023
The silence of the victim unties the hands of the aggressor. What makes the victim be silent and endure?
How can we help?
The American Corner & Makerspace Astana Inspire Fest team and the Astana Hub hosted the Inspire Fest: 'Our steps into the future' festival with the support of the US Embassy in Kazakhstan and Chevron Kazakhstan.
"Inspire Fest" is a social project of young leaders for creative people to support talented young people. The project allows artists who are just starting their creative careers to present their work to the public, gain attention, and be successful.
Art curator of the exhibition: Elmira Kandykbayeva @elmira_kandyart. Founders of the Inspire Fest project: Togzhan, Tomiris, and Arhat @inspirefest_kz
https://en.inform.kz/news/inspire-fest-in-astana-supports-and-advises-aspiring-artists-073598/
Collect Art Work Magazine, spring issue 2024
https://www.scribd.com/document/728103116/Spring-Issue?language_settings_changed=English
The personal exhibition of the artist
NELYA AKIMOVA (NELYA-NAKI)
"What did Möbius know about infinity?"
Karpuchina Gallery, Rybná 22, Prague 1,
January 2024
Starting with the Möbius strip, a symbol of infinity, the exhibition guides viewers through a psychological journey. It reflects how each person, choosing their life path, becomes immersed in endless cycles, starting from the boundless potential of childhood and ending with old age.
The exhibition raises questions: will we continue the endless cycle of neurosis, or will we find a way to stop and listen to our hearts? Journeying through the exposition encourages viewers to reflect on the choices they make and the possibility of changing their lives by turning to inner harmony.
SHIM/Social Justice at Aqua Art Miami 2023 | Organized by Amy Jackson & Hosted by SHIM Art Network
My artwork “Social Inequality and the All-Seeing Eye”
was selected by the jury of the Social Justice Competition, along with the work of 25 other amazing artists, to participate in a group exhibition at Aqua Art as part of Art Miami Week 2023.
The organizers of this project are @thisisamyjackson @aquaartmiami @shimartnetwork @miamiartweek
Let me share some pics of SHIM Social Justice at Miami Art Week 2023. December 6-10 at Aqua Art Miami, room 201
https://www.artsy.net/show/shim-art-network-shim-art-network-at-aqua-art-miami-2023-6?page=2&sort=partner_show_position
Artist Talk Magazine issue-28;
My work has been published -
"Once at a session with Old Freud"
https://www.artisttalkmagazine.com/issue-28
Group exhibition Art Number 23 Gallery, Athens, Greece
October - November, 2023
Gallery address: Dim Eginitou, 8, Thisseio, Athens, Greece
Exhibitions that drew upon the collection of Charles Saatchi, led to the Saatchi Gallery becoming a recognized authority in contemporary art globally. The Gallery acquired a strong reputation for introducing artists who would later gain worldwide recognition.
On October 4-7, 2023, the Focus Art fair was held at the Saatchi Gallery, where my paintings had the honor of being exhibited.
Thanks to Gabriele Fine Arts Gallery for making this incredible opportunity happen.
https://view.publitas.com/gabriel-fine-arts/focus-catalogue/
21-27.07.2023 - Group exhibition "O P E N A R T" in ART Number 23 Gallery (Salzburg, Austria).
At this exhibition, I presented 4 of my paintings:
- "When the whole universe is in my head. Please stop launching rockets“ Oil, canvas, 50x50cm, 2019-23
- "The all-powerful jester rules the king and the world“ Oil, canvas, 50x50cm, 2019-22
Who really rules the world?
- "The Minds of the mad professor“ Oil, canvas, 50x50cm,
2019-22
Which mind is fighting for your body right now? Who wins?
- "Conspirators“ Oil, canvas, 50x50cm, 2022
Huge storms begin with a light whisper
May 2023 - January 2024 - Group exhibition "Modrá Kohout" in Slovanský Dům (Prague) powered by AAMI corporation, Czech Republic.
At this exhibition, I present several of my paintings:
- "Humanity sleeps in the net of samsara", 120x100 cm, Oil, Canvas, 2019-23.
Very soon there will be Metaverses, where our Avatars will live a vibrant life that we can only dream of while we will sleep in networks of wires. But what if it's already happening?
And we are already someone's Avatars? Then who is the real player?
- "Looking for inner light", 90х60 cm, Photography & Digital Manipulation, print on canvas, 2023
When we are hurt, sad, and lonely, we are frantically looking for external solutions, looking for people.
A wise man goes deep into himself. He is looking for peace and quiet.
This is a game of finding the inner light. We all play this game the best we can.
- "Where are my wings?" 90х60 cm, Photography & Digital Manipulation, print on canvas, 2023
I remember I flew high and free.
Was it a dream or was it life before I was born? I don't know.
But somewhere in the chest lives delight and a feeling of flight.
So where are my wings?
May 2023 - January 2024 - Group exhibition "Modrá Kohout" in Slovanský Dům (Prague) powered by AAMI corporation, Czech Republic.
At this exhibition, I present several of my paintings:
- "Humanity sleeps in the net of samsara", 120x100 cm, Oil, Canvas, 2019-23.
Very soon there will be Metaverses, where our Avatars will live a vibrant life that we can only dream of while we will sleep in networks of wires. But what if it's already happening?
And we are already someone's Avatars? Then who is the real player?
- "Looking for inner light", 90х60 cm, Photography & Digital Manipulation, print on canvas, 2023
When we are hurt, sad, and lonely, we are frantically looking for external solutions, looking for people.
A wise man goes deep into himself. He is looking for peace and quiet.
This is a game of finding the inner light. We all play this game the best we can.
- "Where are my wings?" 90х60 cm, Photography & Digital Manipulation, print on canvas, 2023
I remember I flew high and free.
Was it a dream or was it life before I was born? I don't know.
But somewhere in the chest lives delight and a feeling of flight.
So where are my wings?
October 21-23, 2022, the opening of the Art Fair Carrousel du Louvre in Paris took place. According to the regulars, there has never been such a huge interest and crowds at this exhibition. Several thousand people came to see the work of contemporary artists.
At this exhibition, I present my painting "Unicorn." It is made in oil, it took about six months of my work to create it.
The idea and meaning of the picture were born together with it. As if someone unknown told me the images and lines on the canvas.
Success is always multifaceted and complex. What is behind the sudden rise?
Years of insane faith in your idea and despair, meditative calmness and fears,
help from the Universe, and lonely wandering
in a misunderstanding of the path.
October 21-23, 2022, the opening of the Art Fair Carrousel du Louvre in Paris took place. According to the regulars, there has never been such a huge interest and crowds at this exhibition. Several thousand people came to see the work of contemporary artists.
At this exhibition, I present my painting "Unicorn." It is made in oil, it took about six months of my work to create it.
The idea and meaning of the picture were born together with it. As if someone unknown told me the images and lines on the canvas.
Success is always multifaceted and complex. What is behind the sudden rise?
Years of insane faith in your idea and despair, meditative calmness and fears,
help from the Universe, and lonely wandering
in a misunderstanding of the path.
"There are powerful textural shapes, positive and negative spaces, yet it is so subtle. Beautifully conceived and rendered."
Judge and Category: Valerie Kent, Abstract Professional
"The artist engages the viewer immediately with the impact of contrasts: lights against darks, smooth textures against rough, organic shapes punctuated by geometric. We are invited on a journey of exploration, to move through this painting, to discover what is behind these shapes. The dark images appear to be floating--another contrast against the solidity at the lower portion of the composition. Nelya-Naki‘s technique creates an almost musical rhythm that results in a compelling story. Our curiosity is piqued on so many levels and we are left with a desire to see more."
Annual Competition Judges: Art Professionals Kathy Duley, and Linda Corderman
And after successfully participating in the competition, I became a member of the team of judges of The Gateway International Painting Competition.
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