Dariya Kanti

A R T I S T I N T E R V I E W : DARIYA KANTI

Dariya Kanti is a contemporary artist from Uzbekistan.

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, she received her bachelor's degree in 2016 from the National Institute of Arts and Design. K. Behzoda (Tashkent), Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Easel and Book Graphics. In 2018, she received a master's degree from the St. Petersburg Art and Industrial Academy A. L. Stieglitz, Faculty of Monumental Decorative Art, Department of Art Textiles.

Website: dariyakanti.wixsite.com/dkanti Instagram: @dariyakanti

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I'm from Uzbekistan. I was born in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. As a teenager, I travelled a lot: mainly in Asia, spending three years in Tokyo. At the moment, I'm back in Tashkent. I think I never became an artist; I believe I was born this way. I mean, what I remember and what my mom is saying - that I was a real home kid and 90% of the time, I was drawing. Back in childhood, I was really into drawing clothes designs, but my mom showed me a Raphael art book, and I totally forgot about clothes.

What themes or ideas do you pursue in your work? Are your works purely visual, or is there a meaning behind them?

I love to mix different topics. There is not only one problem I'm interested in and trying to discuss through my art—ecological issues, difficulties of connection in society, modern life narratives, and sometimes anti-utopian mood. But the primary theme is women's rights and the problems a modern woman faces in Central Asia.

How did you choose your medium?

I always wanted to be a painter, in the classical sense of the word. As a teenager, I used to work with oil a lot. Then I discovered tattoo art, and when it was time for me to go to university, I had only tattoo sketches. At the exam, the university staff told me I couldn't go to fine art and could only do graphic materials. So I went to the book art faculty and discovered a new world of techniques and materials I had never heard of before. To my surprise, I fell in love with those new materials, so I didn't want to go back to oil.

Can you tell us about your process?

As for most creative people, everyday life gives me tonnes of ideas to work on. Sometimes it's horrifying, like the war which is happening now, cases of domestic violence or violence against animals. All these events are simmering in my mind and mixing before coming out on paper.

What does a typical day in the studio look like?

I don't have a studio at the moment. I work in my room. So typically, I wake up, have breakfast and work as long as I can.

Women are making an appearance in most of your works. Would you like to tell us more about this?

As with Michelangelo, for whom men were an inspiration, for me, it is the female. The most inspiring woman for me is my mom. I admire her inner power, beauty and humanity. How she can be strong in challenging moments of her life, still be the most loving mom, and just be a big heart person.

Do you actively search for inspiration or let inspiration find you?

I think there are always some things that will inspire you no matter what, but inspiration doesn't just come. I think it's a myth of inspiration coming from nowhere. At least for me, it's not working that way. The more I work, the more inspiration comes to me.

How did your practice evolve or unfold over the years?

I always try to learn new things: new media and new ways to show my ideas. I try to grow and push my skills to a new level, and I think it's also critical to grow as a person. Then your art will grow, change and develop with you, and it will show in your art. I hope it shows in mine.

Would you say other artists or art genres have influenced your practice? If yes, how?

I call my genre figurative - surrealism. I believe these two genres changed how I see art in the first place. I can't really explain how it works. But when I was a child, I had two favourite art books, one with works by Raphael and the second with works by Dali. I just felt like I knew what they were talking about in their art. They're far apart in everything, but somehow, for me, they are the same. I hope it makes sense.

What is your dream project?

It will be a project I've had in my mind for some time. The main idea of this project is domestic violence in Central Asia. It's a massive installation with a mirror and one large artwork in the centre of it. I really hope I will be able to implement this idea pretty soon.