Artists present ideas and then find the medium that best conveys them; while the medium plays a part in the message, they are always willing to experiment to find the one that best expresses the ideas they want to present to the world. So it is with Natrix Vibakari, who uses abstract paintings, photography, drawings and illustrations to prompt us to ask questions about ourselves so that we may fulfil the Ancient Greek maxim of know thyself.
I was particularly drawn to her ‘Inner Demons’ series, where photographs of young women have been added to with white acrylic paint. She has collaborated with Polish photographer Olesya Sidorova, and while you can tell a lot about a person from a photograph, it can never fully reveal what’s going on inside.
In one image, a woman lies prone. Is she sleeping? Is she hurt? While this image evokes a sense of vulnerability, Vibakari adds flowers growing from her chest as symbols of revitalisation and rebirth. In another photograph, a shaven-headed woman hugs her knees to her chest and her hands to her face. Vibakari then overlays these with a ghostly figure hugging and reassuring her. We also see hands painting over other hands in a reassuring gesture, and stitches on a woman’s back also suggest a moment of healing.
These works hint at the inner battles we all face when our emotions take us to a dark place, whether through loss, grief, or a lack of self-worth. It reminds us that it’s to others we often turn at these times, and it’s their strength that gets us through. While the ghostly figures are genderless, I also see them as symbolic of women lifting one another, especially given that women remain among the most vulnerable in society. The surreal layering of photographs reminds me of some of the experimental photography we’ve seen in the past by the likes of Lee Miller and Man Ray.
Vibakari’s abstract paintings are more nuanced, asking us to determine what we see in them, and they are more a reflection of ourselves. They are calmer and more reflective, allowing us to stare into them and discover our own truths within, much like Mark Rothko does with his paintings.
Her illustration series proves that she can work within a brief while still incorporating her own ideas about self-reflection, while tapping into the author’s concepts. Works on Asian mythology reflect that much of the symbolism in ancient scrolls from the East often centres on the same concepts she explores, with mythical beasts and narrative journeys reflecting the struggles and battles within ourselves.
I keep coming back to the Inner Demons series and would love to see it expanded to cover many more figures, with her focus remaining on this series. The idea of female vulnerability, compassion, and strength is a topic Vibakari could build upon, and the combination of painting and photography makes it stand out from works made with either medium.
Find out more about Natrix Vibakari’s works and her practice on her website. natrix-vibakari-art.com
All photos by photographer Olesya Sidorova (Poland) and courtesy of the artist. Second image titled ‘I’m here’ and third ‘Valley of Irises
