Minimalist art by Nikolay Naydenov
I work with simple materials and a limited set of gestures. Whether I am building a small wall object or working with oil paint, I am interested in what happens when a flat surface begins to take on physical presence. In the wall works, I cut, bend, press, and build the material by hand. In the paintings, I work directly with a knife and spatula, building the oil paint into small, three-dimensional surfaces. I don't try to hide these gestures. The marks, edges, thickness, and small irregularities are part of the work. Color plays an important role in both. I use it in a restrained way — as a plane, a block, a division, or a point of tension against a quieter surface. The paintings are minimalist in composition, but the surfaces are deliberately physical and tactile. The small scale is important to me. These are not studies for larger works. Each painting and wall object is a finished, one-of-a-kind piece, made by hand and meant to be experienced up close. I am interested in the space between painting and object — when a painting starts to behave like a relief and a simple material starts to feel like a sculpture.
Nikolay
