Artist Maya Malioutina: a narrative of aged surfaces

Heymdesign innovations introduces Designer Spotlight, a series of Q&A interviews featuring emerging artists and premier design voices in the fields of architecture, interior, product, and fashion design.

                                                                  Artist Maya Malioutina

Walking from studio to studio at the DUMBO Open Studio Arts Festival 2011 in Brooklyn, N.Y., I stumbled across some extraordinarily unique paintings called Knotted. Like woven wires, the concentric circles were so rich in texture and dimension that I wanted to touch them. The artist, Maya Malioutina saw my interest and surprisingly allowed me to. She was extremely personable and passionately said, “the knotted work is such a joyful piece. When people see it and touch it, their faces light up. I love that, I feel that I make art just for that moment.” C'mon, when do you ever get to touch art? While feeling every groove, I got excited by the thought that her knot technique can be integrated into architectural applications: partitions, door panels, screens, furniture, etc. Maya said that she hadn’t had the opportunity yet; but it is possible.

Maya Malioutina’s engaging paintings study things that are imperfect and incomplete. Her work embraces the mystery and biographies within textured surfaces of walls, corners and sidewalks and how their imperfections are enhanced and transformed by the passage of time thru erosion, oxidation, peeling paint, and rust. Her work becomes interactive because it invites the viewer to be transported and experience what lies beneath and beyond. 

Knotted

Knotted 2

Knotted 3

I asked Maya how she makes her 'knots'. Maya says,” her knotted work is all done by hand. It is a slow and patient process that involves 15 to 30 layers of acrylic paint, gold leaf, lacquer and an emulsion.” She wouldn’t reveal her special technique but it’s anyone’s guess. Like her work, some things need to remain a mystery.....

Woman

Romantic

If you would like to meet Maya and see her work, she participates in an ‘Open Studio’ celebration that is the first Thursday of every month in her studio in Dumbo, Brooklyn. It is located on 55 Washington Street, Suite 271, Brooklyn N.Y.