With works ranging from the highly abstract to the purely figurative, painter Milena Miteva’s work is defined by its attempt to reconstruct memory. Working strictly in oils, Miteva’s process is meditative. Before she begins a piece, the composition, content and color scheme are pre-selected, her intent always to convey a sense of harmony and an aura of emotionality. Inspired by her personal experience, the content of the artist’s work often lingers on specific elements from a certain time or place. The artist might focus on her own interpretation of the Dubai Tower, or offer multiple scenes of “bad weather” in a single canvas. Like memory itself, Miteva’s paintings improvise and reinterpret the reality of a situation. Instances and sites are conflated, with one moment blurring into another. Ultimately, she uses her own memories in order to capture the audience’s attention, encouraging them to consider the significance of their own existence and experience.
Born in Bulgaria, Milena Miteva now lives and works on the island of Crete.