Tania Rivilis

At first sight I was amazed by the vivid colors and expression in the paintings of this artist! The composition and the stories told are beautiful to behold! That's why today I'm pleased to introduce a master of contemporary art: Tania Rivilis!

Tania please tell who you are!

My story as an artist began at the age of 27, right after I moved to Germany from Moscow. This upheaval obviously gave me the impulse to paint, to do something that had been itching in my mind for a long time. I began to study painting techniques, made numerous copies and studies of great artists of the past and present. But I only started to really think and see myself as an artist relatively recently – about two years ago, I think. In 2019, I discovered a completely new material for me – pressed wood panels and I started creating more vivd, colorful paintings and I think I have finally found my art voice. This discovery has led me to rework my painting and tap into a new source of inspiration and energy. I’m still trying to understand the flow that gripped me not too long ago, but I feel like I’m heading in the right direction, because after I found my self as an artist I was invited in few cool galleries, like Arcadia Gallery in NYC that included my works in several shows already, and LA Art Show’21 in Los Angeles. I think it ́s pretty good for a beginner) 

How did you get involved with NFTs

My art friend , also a “traditional” artist from St. Petersburg, shared about selling his artworks as NFTs on Foundation, and as a person deeply interested in new technologies and trends, I immediately fell in love with the concept. What impressed me the most was the responsiveness and solidarity of the NFT community: strangers were willing to help me, to share their knowledge, to teach about the important steps I had to take, and to sincerely support me when I began to doubt myself. Around a month ago I discovered another NFT platform - hicetnunc, and now selling my art there as well. And again, the NFT community is just amazing! I want to thank everyone who supported me.

How do you see the future of the NFT?

As a “traditional” artist, I really see advantages in NFT for all artists. For example, just a few days ago I had to send my physical painting to another part of the world and I had to pay for taxes, customer office, shipping, documents, and I will have to pay if it is sold there or returns back. If at the end I count all my costs I get around 20-30%... Pretty sad, isn’t it? And if my painting is sold to the next owner, I don’t get anything. Opposite of this is NFT - all clear and transparent. I’ll always be the one who created this piece and who gets the royalties after secondary market ́s sales. And I don’t pay to other instances for another paper. I ́m really happy that artists finally have a fair platform to work on. 

 If you had one wish - who would you want to collaborate with or who inspires you?

Oh, so many great artists I would love to work with! Some of them are still not in the NFT world (like one of my fav artists Ruprecht von Kaufmann or Phile Hale). I love Henrik ́s art, would also love to do some collaboration with Trevor Jones, Shavonne Wong, or Archan Nair. I ́m actually preparing one collaboration with amazing Laurence Fuller - it’s coming soon! 

There are also many classical artists from the past who inspire me a lot - Ilya Repin, Valentin Serov, Carlos Federico Saez, Joaquin Sorolla, or Marià Fortuny. There are so many of them that I can list their names for hours).

What do you create? What makes your work stand out?

My main passion is colors and textures. Currently I work on pressed wood panels and I can see that not only I love it, but galleries and collectors as well. I try to show this in my NFTs, too, for example, my genesis on Foundation „Poet from St. Moritz“ (or other NFTs like „Segments“ from DNA of ART series) was a close up of my oil painting (one of the first in my “wooden” period) that shows a wood texture and bold brush strokes. 
My most powerful inspiration is people, their faces, eyes, gestures. As well as the combination of colors in nature, the light falling on my sister's eyelashes, beautiful thin fingers on the phone, an open ankle, veins on an arm. Traveling is one more source of inspiration, people from other cultures, different smells and sounds. Sometimes absolutely strange things can channel my vibe, and I immediately take photos of them for the future because you never know what will come out in handy. 

Who do you want to promote?

Ha, difficult to choose just one artist. Since I discovered NFT space I’ve found so many absolutely talented artists (digital and traditional). If I have to choose just one then I would love to promote an amazing traditional artist Valentin Fischer who’s paintings are beautifully melancholic and capturing a moment of silence. 
Another artists I would love to mention are visual designer Thais Silva with her beautiful collages, Daniel Martin and R Ξ D S I N W H I T Ξ with their remarkable style. 

Where can people find you Tania?

One last word

Through my work, I try to explore the fragile nature of human relationships, to understand the complex process of the emergence of feelings and connections between two intricate universes. I am inspired by the endless fluctuations and multi- layered experiences in the souls of each participant of this infinite game. 

With contrasting colors, dynamic, almost graphic brush lines, I seek to emphasize the emotional impact of the moment, convey the character of the scene and immerse a viewer in a transmitted state, help project this state onto himself. The structure of the pressed wood allows the oil to acquire a new, unconventional sound, increasing the expressiveness of the depicted moment to the maximum. 

I strive to combine forms, colors, and art history in order to find a new expressive language of beauty. Searching for interesting images and types, conveying the soul through appearance and gaze – my works are focused on the emotional reading of the human image and the dialectical concept of the human soul. 

With the growing potential of NFT I hope to discover new perspectives and opportunities for my growth as an artist and for the development of the art itself.