Behind the Artist: Kubistika
Start your summer right with Berlin-based artist Boris Drashcoff's refreshing, elegant art prints. We caught up with the artist, who goes by Kubistika Art, to learn more about his start, what inspires the bold forms in his work, and just what 'kubistika' means...
Start your summer right with Berlin-based artist Boris Drashcoff's refreshing, elegant art prints. We caught up with the artist, who goes by Kubistika, to learn more about his start, what inspires the bold forms in his work, and just what 'kubistika' means...
How did you get started creating art?
Well, I have been literally doing art since forever. I remember a story my mom keeps telling: when I was a 5-year-old, I invited my whole family inside to what I called my own art gallery. It was made of cardboard boxes with little paintings hanging inside, but I guess that still counts as my very first solo exhibition. I even sold out all my artworks to my visitors - for one cent each. A huge success I'd say. ;) After school I studied economics and that I am an Artist today is actually mostly a big coincidence and was plenty of luck.
Because I didn’t like any images my back-then girlfriend proposed to decorate our walls in the apartment, she said "Well Mister, then do it better!" So I sat down and made 15-20 artworks for our home to have something hanging on the walls.
And now, ten years later, we are having this interview here today.
What inspires you today?
Simplicity - and how complex it can actually be.
The simpler a shape is the more space it leaves to the person's own imagination and fantasy. Take a sunset for example: basically, that is a line and a half-circle, but it creates such strong and different emotions when we watch it. That, in my eyes, is amazing and inspires me.
So I implemented that idea as my major credo. It is like looking through a kaleidoscope (which translated literally actually means “to see beautiful shapes“). Even if you point to the same spot, whoever looks through it sees something different because of his own emotions and experiences in life.
I like that a lot. It's somehow like my artworks are finished and completed in the mind of each viewer and not by me or my intentions.
What was the moment you knew your art would be your career - not just a hobby?
I guess that moment came when I went to a housewarming party of friends of mine. They had two of my artworks hanging as major pieces in their apartment - one in the living room and one over their bed.
Both prints were huge and everybody talked about them at the party - but nobody knew that they were made by me. That was a very surreal moment. But it made me realize that this is a career now.
How do you know when a piece is 'ready' to share?
This "ready-to-share"-moment unfortunately doesn't exist. ;)
I always hope it comes - but the longer I work on an artwork the closer the relationship gets between the two of us. And there is where I am getting caught in my own trap. By continuing to reduce the objects and colors in an image and making everything more and more simple I start feeling and seeing things that actually aren't there.
Just like looking through a kaleidoscope as I said earlier.
And once this happens and I start realizing it, I know that it's time to hand over the kaleidoscope to someone else. And then I am indescribably curious and excited about what they will see and feel.
Curious to see the world through Draschoff's kaleidoscope? Browse his collection on Great Big Canvas or follow him on Instagram.
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