Bogdan Murg is an abstract-figurative Romanian artist, interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj.

Bogdan feels an urge to paint, as he wants to make up for all the years he has not been painting. For him, it has been a reversed process, in which his style surfaced intuitively. It wasn’t before he was exposed to art literature that he could put a name on what he was actually doing. He mostly identifies himself with Francis Bacon’s concept of a ‘tightrope walk between what is called figurative painting and abstraction.’ Each painting is, thus, multiple performances. When Bogdan is painting a work, he is not painting the subject but himself.

@muperlart

What is your favorite experience as an artist?

Letting my imagination and subconscious free during the process must be my best experience as an artist. I would even dare to call this experience a cathartic release.

What style of art would you classify your work?

In a broader sense, it has to be Expressionism, but if we go into a deeper level, I would call it "Subconscious Expressionism."

What experience of your life would you say that is reflected in your works of art.

My paintings depict subjects that might not have much in common at first glance, ranging from fairy-tale - religious characters, mythological characters, politics, childhood demons, or the future of our species.

Tell us about your inspiration for your "Space Deforming Fish." Where do you get your imagery from?

First, the image of the fish is inspired by Einstein's general theory of relativity in which a hyper-mass object generates a gravitational field by warping the geometry of the surrounding space-time. Then, "Ichthys" (which means "fish" in Greek) was the secret symbol adopted by early Christians. The painting does become a metaphor for the way Christianity has (de-)formed our world.

You identify yourself with Francis Bacon's concept of a 'tightrope walk between what is called figurative painting and abstraction.' Could you tell our readers more about this inspiration?

It is this painting by chance, in the beginning, that allows me to suspend the operation of rational decisions. In the same way, you can't control what you're dreaming, when I start a piece I never know where it's going to take me, or where it is going to take the viewer. This phase is the abstraction of the painting. In the second phase, the subconscious kicks in. It implies a slow contemplation of the abstract piece, this being my favorite part of the process. It is what I call the mental painting, a window into my subconscious that thinks in the form of symbols, metaphors, and visual forms, which I then project in the artwork. It is a very personal process since each painting might offer insights into subjects or experiences that my conscious awareness does not only ignore, but even tries to suppress.

Your project in your work symbols, metaphors, and visual forms from your subconscious. Could you tell us some interesting facts about your life that led you to this artistic expression?

I couldn't find a reason for a 1:1 representation of the real world. Nature's perfection and, of course, the incredible works of the renaissance masters would make any attempt futile. Secondly, I love it when an artwork raises more questions than answers. And this can mostly be achieved by looking at the world through the filter of our subconscious. Thirdly, it was by pure chance that I've started painting. It is my wife who wanted to start a new hobby, and somehow I fell in love with this form of artistic expression.

Is your studio open for visitors?

Yes, my studio is my home, and my door is open to art lovers.

Any shows, galleries, or publications where our readers can find your work?

For the moment, You can find my art on my Instagram account, but soon I will launch my website, and I will show my work on other art platforms too.