for russian artist alex andreev, creation is never the product of man’s intellect. instead, the saint petersburg based artist sees it more as an activity that aims to revisit states of comprehension only achieved in childhood, or in dreams. creating digital paintings viewed through AR and VR, andreev sculpts surreal dreamscapes that explode with imagination and fantastical scenery, creating worlds unto themselves for the viewer to explore.

 

all images © alex andreev, courtesy of the artist

 

 

‘it sounds paradoxical but digital art attracts me because it is free of technological infuence’, explains alex andreev. ‘while in traditional arts technologies dramatically limit the artist – his ability to stylize works in graphics or the extremely time consuming process of paint drying — in digital painting I sit in front of a screen, grab the stylus and see the result immediately.’

 

 

 

vistas of otherworldly apparitions and cataclysmic events are set side by side with images of parochial peace, of children playing tennis and couples camping in the wilderness. for andreev, the creative impetus can come from anything, anywhere, although cites that place between sleep and awake as a specific influence. ‘I use  several techniques like lucid dreaming, concentration on visual images in the moment of falling asleep, writing my dreams on and so on.’

 

like a dreaming sleepwalker, viewers are placed at the heart of the narrative of each piece, sometimes the protagonist and sometimes a silent observer. exploring each image allows you to slowly build your own story behind the mind bending scenes on display, leading to a multitude of different interpretations — much like a dream. 

 

 

 

created alongside graphic designer mikhail ershov, the paintings can be viewed in full VR by downloading andreev’s ‘a separate reality’ app. when paired with VR glasses, the app allows you to fully immerse yourself in the paintings, accompanied by atmospheric music.