“Visual art is not a passion for me, it happens out of necessity”
Rachel Jag, a self-taught artist, currently based in Vienna, was born in former Soviet Union (Russia) in 1985.
After finishing at the Sigmund Freud High School, she went on to study at the “Graphische”, a college for Print, Prepress and Media Technology, after which she worked as a graphic designer and web developer. At a young age, she was involved in various music projects as a singer and songwriter, and came to visual arts through listening to melodies that made a big impact on her. Since then, she explores the relation between color and sound, and has moved to the artistic field of visual arts.
While many printing projects have followed, like screen printing on textiles as well as prints on paper, it was the relationship between colour and sound that kept bringing her back most strongly to the artistic field of visual arts. Drawn by melodies, the artist transforms fragments of compositions into shape and colour combinations. Also rhythmic elements are captured with her inner voice leading a marker to be tapped onto the paper. Her works, often fragile and subtle, while on the other hand often dramatic and bold.
“My artwork is never about what ‘I’ want to see, more importantly it is about what is being shown to me and what comes through me. When it’s done, I just put it away, I don’t look for any single ‘interpretation’ or ‘message’, or some sort of translation into words. I prefer to call it a careful ‘approach’ to something undiscovered, or even unknown. I might receive answers on an emotional level, but this could happen after several months, several years, or even never”.
“The essence of a short moment, or even a strangely familiar sound, may lead to a very deep artistic process“
Exploring the approach to the unknown, trying to get closer to the creative process of turning one flash of inspiration in a single moment into something with a life of its own, is the most fascinating to the artist. Every single step in the working process is never premeditated. To have trust, to let the ‘unknown be shown’, is often very challenging. The communication between the artist, the source of her inspiration and what is being created on paper opens up new, unseen doors and unexplored fields.
the aura of a space
This series is about giving space to split-second moments of inspiration. As has always been the case in Rachel’s work, the emotional message it contains is explored. The attempt is to perceive the ‘communication‘, to see where it takes her.
Rachel’s new series of work represents shapes shown digitally in the form of dots. The artist here observes the digital working process in order to then explore how her perception of it changes when the artwork is „done“. Creating an aura of a space that comes from somewhere, trying to capture and save it emotionally, or simply feel an emotional continuation. These works are being described by the viewer as a new way of connection to “something indescribable”.
The idea to go digital arose originally from necessity – a moment of limited access to physical materials. At first, she created flying objects, light emitting flower-like creations and other indefinable forms. Having worked with rhythmic imagery in the past, she then returned to this way of working to see what forms would emerge as she explored ‚The aura of a space‘. Once again, the artist returned to her original artistic approach, that everything comes about almost by itself, or leaves her with endless questions on an emotional level. This idea fascinates her, of being both the creator and the observer at the same time.
As always, every step of the process is done intuitively, from the choice of colours to the size and alignment of the dots. At the beginning, again as always, there is a strong inner resistance which then disappears as soon as the picture takes form. Color is used as a tool, that could be changed easily. The rhythmic form it contains, stays the same and “shines” by the use of different colors.
Born in Russia/ Pjatigorsk 1985
Sigmund Freud High School Vienna
2 year College at the Höhere Graphische Bundes- Lehr und Versuchsanstalt (Print, Prepress and Media Technology)
graphic design and web development
several music projects (singing, songwriting)
artprints, digital and screen printing
selected for Salzburg Sommerakadie 2018
Art and creative workshops in different communities in Vienna /single and group sessions
ORF Kulturmontag- Austrian media provider / studio visit 2020
follow the link to see where my works are featured in …
Artist Talk Magazine Issue 21 / 2022 / London
Bruxelles Art Vue limitless Nature 2022 / Brussels
Altiba9 online interview 2022 / Spain, Algeria
Artmagazineium Issue 21/ November 2022 / Brussels
Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine 2022 / Greece
Wow World Show Group Art Magazine Dubai vol. 1
Contemporary Art Collectors ‘Beyond Utopia’
Contemporary Art Curator Magazine ‘Parallel Worlds’
Loosenart Magazine May 2023 ‘Night Skies and Astro Imaging’ 2023
A like Artist vol.2 new collector book by Altiba9 2024
Altiba9 artist directory 2024
Art Market- International Art Magazine / January 2024
Exhibitions
23.06.- 27.06.2020 Vienna Volkstheater U Bahn, Verein Red Carpet
07.07.- 12.07.2020 Vienna 1210, Floriwood
10.07.- 25.07.2022 Vienna 1050, Verein Kunstschaffen- in the Heat of the Night
25.06.- 28.06.2022 Vienna 1160, Garage Grande by high brow institute, Homo Techno Machina Humana
18.06.- 24.08.2022 Berlin, Galerie im Körnerpark, Anonymous drawings, curated by Anke Becker
(drawing sold in the first week)
14.04.- 18.05.2023 Rome/ Italy, exhibition ‘Adhesion/ Night Skies’ and Astro Imaging curated by loosenart Gallery
23.04.- 31.05.2023 Vienna 1130, Verein Grätzleben Exhibition colour and sound
14.04.- 18.05.2023 Rome/ Italy, ‘Floating’ work series curated by Gallery Art number 23
15.06.- 01.10.2023 Contemporary art collectors Online Exhibition ‘Beyond Utopia: Visions of a Perfect World’
04.08.- 13.08.2023 Vienna 1030, ‘Bloom’, digital art and sound exhibition curated by Kiru Kuna
20.09.- 20.01.2024 Contemporary art curator magazine Online Exhibition ‘Parallel Worlds’
04.10.- 10.10.2023 World Space Week 2023
Exhibition ‘Visions- exploring inner and outer worlds of space travel ’ inspired by the Moon Village Association, in corporation with UNESCO, UNESCO Club Vienna, and the 75.World Federation for Mental Health
11.11.- 17.11.2023 Vienna 1090 Group Exhibition ‘Stille Post- Die Antwort’ Vienna Art Week – Gallery at West Space Vienna 1090
30.04.2024 Vienna 1030 Group Exhibition curated by Alexandra Yakubov / Vienna Youth Contemporary at Villa Mautner Jäger