Infinite Self, 2025
Natalya Mougenot

This contemporary expressive vivid expressionist woman's portrait, 'Infinite Self",  was created by French artist Natalya Mougenot and is part of her ongoing series dedicated to women, where she explores identity, transformation, and the fluid nature of selfhood.

Natalya explains, “The idea behind this painting is about universality and connection. That's why I chose the word Infinite—for me, it refers to an experience that is not only personal but resonates universally. The woman depicted embodies aspects of all human existence, bridging individuality and collective identity."

At its core, this work is an exploration of inner life. Natalya continues, “I wanted to show a journey into the woman's internal world—her thoughts, emotions, and essence. Infinite suggests that the inner self cannot be fully contained or defined, hinting at layers of personality, memory, and consciousness."

The portrait also evokes transformation and potential. “There is a sense of ongoing evolution in every human being," she says. “A person is never fixed; her identity and selfhood are fluid and expanding."

Beyond what meets the eye, Infinite Self invites contemplation. “I want viewers to reflect, not just focus on the surface," Natalya shares. “To look beyond this woman's face, and consider the thoughts, emotions, and experiences that cannot be fully captured in form or color."

The vivid color palette plays a crucial role in conveying emotional intensity. “I use bright colors deliberately," she explains. “Vivid hues speak of energy, emotional depth, and impulse." The composition merges abstract art, expressionism, and brut art, allowing Natalya to express her raw emotions and vision directly onto the canvas.

Authenticity and honesty remain central to her practice. Each brushstroke conveys truth, both in her emotional response to the subject and in the intuitive process of creation, ensuring that every painting is a direct expression of her inner world.

This striking artwork presents an abstract woman's portrait, where pinks, blues, and oranges swirl across the canvas, drawing attention to the central figure. Broad, expressive strokes define her contemplative gaze, while bold, contrasting lines accentuate the facial features, creating depth and introspection. The dynamic background enhances the figure's presence, offering a harmonious yet powerful contrast that emphasizes the painting's emotional undertone. By challenging traditional portrait norms, Infinite Self invites viewers to experience the fusion of emotion, color, and form in abstract expressionist portraiture.

Artwork Details:

Medium:  Acrylic painting on a cotton stretched canvas, ready to hang upon delivery 

Finish: Sealed with protective varnish

Framing: Unframed 

Images of the painting  in the interior are for your inspiration only 

Certificate of Authenticity: Included

Shipping: Carefully packaged

International delivery from France 

Signed on the front and on the back 

About the Artist: 

Originally from Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, and now based in Lyon, France, Natalya Mougenot has spent over two decades refining her artistic voice. Her multicultural background and personal experience inform her bold, expressive works, which have found homes in private collections around the world.

Natalya's distinctive visual language blends Abstract Expressionism, Impressionism, Art Naïf, and Art Brut—resulting in paintings that are raw, instinctive, and emotionally resonant. Across her work, three values guide her: authenticity, sincerity, and honesty.

“Authenticity is everything," she says. “People can always feel when something is real—or when it's not. I want my work to be honest, to come from a place that's true."

In addition to painting, Natalya is also a passionate photographer. Her photographic work—also featured on this platform—mirrors her painterly sensibility: a poetic, observational approach that captures the quiet power of everyday life. For her, photography is both inspiration and a form of presence, often serving as visual sketches for future paintings or existing as standalone works.

Discover more of Natalya Mougenot's work—both paintings and photographs—and step into a world where movement, emotion, and human connection are expressed with striking clarity and truth.