My Wonderland and Alice, 2025

Irina Bast   New & remarkable Artists

In the enchanting painting "My Wonderland and Alice," the boundaries between reality and fantasy dissolve, inviting viewers into a unique realm crafted by the artist's imagination. Set within the artist's home, this surrealist artwork merges familiar characters from Lewis Carroll's classic with the details of everyday life.

Exquisite bouquet of light white and creamy peony flowers blossoms, painted in acrylics. At the forefront, a charming pug lays serenely, its whimsical companion - a fairy tale Dormouse. Perched among the flowers, the grinning Cheshire Cat adds a touch of mischief, the languid Blue Caterpillar shares its wisdom. White Rabbit scurries across the table, chased by the ever-inquisitive Alice. This playful juxtaposition blends the ordinary with the extraordinary, highlighting the absurdity of situation.

The painting invites viewers to explore the delicate balance between imagination and reality. It suggests that within the confines of our daily lives, there exists an extraordinary world waiting to be discovered. This originality lies in its ability to fuse beloved characters with the artist's own narrative, creating a fresh perspective on a timeless tale.

"My Wonderland and Alice" serves as a reminder that magic can be found in the mundane, urging us to embrace the whimsy of life and the power of our own imagination.

Artist's Statement :

I present a series of paintings titled "A Fairytale in my life," where reality collides with a living fairytale. In my artworks, I strive to create a unique space where classical art intertwines with vibrant characters from cartoons, fairy tales, and fantasy films. These characters, bursting into the everyday flow of events, bring with them irony and a touch of chaos, turning the familiar world upside down.

Since childhood, I have dreamed of dolls being alive, able to speak and move. One of my favorite films, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," was a true revelation for me. In this film, animated characters live alongside humans, and this idea has always fascinated me. I often fantasized about what it would be like if my favorite characters lived nearby, interacting with our reality and disrupting the usual order of things.

In the process of creating this series of paintings, I realized that although I have grown up, cartoons and fairytale worlds still hold an important place in my life. They remind me of the importance of preserving childlike sincerity and the ability to be amazed. Each piece is an attempt to capture that incredible moment when two worlds meet: the real and the fantastical, where boundaries blur and the mundane becomes magical.

I hope that my paintings will inspire viewers to reflect on how wonder can exist alongside us if only we are willing to see it.