Kamen Bonev's paintings are inspired by places he has seen. But they are essentially about a world that we all dream about. The Dubai-based Bulgarian artist's latest series of paintings, titled My World, depicts beautiful landscapes of riverside towns in Europe, charming seaside Mediterranean villages and picturesque Arabian cities. Woven into these visually appealing compositions are narratives about the artist's own life and his philosophy.
"My paintings are not done from photographs, but from my memories of the emotions that a landscape evoked in me. Every composition is a combination of places I have seen that touched me and places that I have imagined. Through these paintings I want to give a dream world full of happiness and peace to my viewers," Bonev says.
He moved to Dubai six years ago and believes he has grown as an artist due to his experiences here. "Earlier I used to look at art only from a European perspective. But in Dubai I have met people from so many different countries and continents and been exposed to different ways of artistic expression. This has broadened my perspective and I have tried to incorporate the best of everything that I have seen into my practice," he says.
Water is an important element in Bonev's paintings and most of his landscapes feature a stretch of blue. "I was born in a seaside town, and being near the sea makes me feel relaxed and happy. When I am walking on the beach, I forget all the stress and tensions of the day and feel rejuvenated to make a new beginning. And through these paintings I want my viewers to feel the same," he says.
A painting, titled Reflection, conveys the essence of Bonev's message. It captures the beauty of the sand dunes, the sea, the sky and the shimmering reflections created by the rays of the sun. A lone fisherman in his boat, taking a break from his hard life at sea, underlines the idea that we all need to take some time out to reflect and introspect and find that place of our dreams within ourselves — a place that will make us truly happy. Bonev puts his signature symbols of triangles and squares in every painting. "These are symbols of perfect geometric forms and through them I want to tell my viewers that everything will be alright. Despite the turmoil and ugliness that we see around us and in the media, it is possible to find the inner happiness and tranquillity that is visualised in my paintings," he says.
Bonev explores the idea of realising a fantasy world through two other paintings that are inspired by the Palm Jumeirah. "The whole idea of building something on the sea was amazing for me. When construction on Palm Jumeirah began, I used to watch the boats coming in with sand and stones, and slowly an entire island emerged in front of my eyes. Today, thousands of people are living and working there without even giving a thought to how this place was conceived and built. I wanted to record this tremendous event that I have experienced in my life. These paintings represent a bird's-eye view of the islands and the sea around them. I have used sand and gravel from the area to create the textures and used shades of blue that are typical of the Arabian Sea," he says.
A theme that Bonev has often explored in his work is the idea of representing people as trees that grow by assimilating experiences and learnings from life. This show features a painting of himself as a tree that is bright and full of positivity. Another painting titled Stella is inspired by the ancient Egyptian artistic tradition of depicting the hierarchy in society as a pyramid, with the Pharaoh at the pinnacle. "But my pyramid is about the ability of every person to become better and reach their pinnacle. It is about finding yourself and realising your true potential and being the person you want to be," he says.
Similarly, in Artist Temple, Bonev emphasises the expression and celebration of artistic individuality. An open window in this landscape invites everybody to view the temple of creativity from their own perspective.
"Unlike sport, there are no winners or losers in art. Artistic talent is a special gift from God; every artist has their own window inside the temple of art and expresses their view of the world," he says. "Ultimately all my work is about knowing that we are responsible for creating our own happiness. Instead of looking outside, we must look inside and recognise the simple things that make us truly happy," he adds.
Jyoti Kalsi is an art enthusiast based in Dubai.
My World will run at Vindemia.art gallery at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates until March 8.
