My artistic practice is the result of an interdisciplinary exploration of historical and contemporary phenomena. Using ancient oriental philosophical movements, practices and teachings (such as animalism and tarot), I try to find and understand the human connection to the world, to uncover and expose historical and cultural parallels in the history of all mankind. In my projects, I move the characters in a non-linear way from the past to the present. I use the techniques of symbolism and I create the interpenetration of different cultures and nations by mashing them up. I use glitch and phygital techniques. Through cultural and historical allusions, I express my respect for different cultures and peoples by representing my own interpretations of current subjects and themes, sometimes by appropriation and through crosslinks and homages. This is how I reflect on how the norms of a social institution and the human perception of them change over time and which aspects remain unchanged.
I work in the seven-layer technique of the Flemish masters of the 16th century, seeking harmony between color and subject composition.
Varia Stern was born on November 6th, 1986 in Moscow, Russia. She finished the Moscow State Academic Memory of 1905 Art School completing the course “Painting” (2009), and then completed the course “Illustration” at the British Higher School of Art & Design in Moscow (2013). She has been studying the techniques of the Flemish school of 15 century painting for more than a decade.
Her research methodology and choice of subjects has been influenced by her interest in ancient Oriental philosophy. She examines the authenticity of art and human presence in the world and the art of the past. Works with the ornaments and traditions of the world's indigenous peoples and vanished civilisations.
Varia also works with blockchain technologies to create NFT projects. A participant of collective exhibitions in Russia and the UK. NFT works in the collection of Cozomo de Medici (aka Snoop Dogg).
Education
2012-2013 British Higher School of Art and Design, Illustration course, under the direction of V. Melamed, Moscow, Russia
Since 2009, private lessons in Flemish multi-layered oil painting techniques from the Honored Artist of Russia Nikita Krapivin
2002-2009 Academic Art School. 1905, Faculty of Painting, Moscow, Russia
