10 Questions with TOVA

TOVA is a multidisciplinary artist based between Dubai and London, working across abstract painting, music, and poetry. Her practice explores how structure and emotion coexist, using geometric frameworks and expressive colour to hold shifting inner states. Abstraction is central to her language, approached as an open dialogue rather than a fixed statement, inviting viewers to form their own readings through image, rhythm, and sensation. Extending beyond the canvas, TOVA creates multimedia narratives that combine painting, original songs, bilingual poetry, and video, shaping immersive, screen-based works where meaning remains layered, personal, and shared.

www.tova-gallery.com | @_tova_art

ARTIST STATEMENT

TOVA is an artist-mediator with a sharp sensory awareness and a rigorous conceptual vision. Her work translates scientific research, the often unseen challenges of the 21st century, and human emotional states into unified, multidimensional visual forms. TOVA’s practice unfolds through two key authorial concepts: TOVA NUTS, which take the form of sculptural artworks, and TOVA WORLDS, immersive environments where visual art, text, sound, video, poetry, and other media come together as cohesive artistic systems.

TOVA’s visual language is shaped by over a decade of applied research in financial markets, including market microstructure, trading strategies, financial modelling, forecasting, market surveillance, and machine learning in finance. Her academic background brings clarity, precision, and conceptual depth to her work. Each TOVA NUT emerges from an extensive process of hypothesis formation, analytical investigation, and model construction. Insights into complex systems are filtered through her artistic framework and distilled into the NUT form. Drawing on scientific methodologies, TOVA develops precise visual solutions, employing art as a universal language through which complex knowledge can be examined, translated, and communicated.

INTERVIEW

First of all, can you tell us about your background and how your journey from finance and research led you toward an artistic practice?

I am an academic, lecturer, trader, and researcher in finance. I completed my PhD in Finance at Bayes Business School, University of London. I am engaged in applied research in financial markets, trading strategies, financial modeling and forecasting, and machine learning in finance. I have experience in trading and investments, and I have consulted for banks, hedge funds, exchanges, and the industry.
I work with big data, models, and systems; however, I research the human behavior behind the data. Financial markets are not only technical structures; they are also social systems. They reflect human decisions, emotions, fears, hopes, risk, speculation, and desire. Different market participants act with different intentions, creating patterns, tensions, and movements.
This is where my artistic practice began to develop. I realized that the same questions I was asking in my research could also become visual questions. What is hidden behind a model? What kind of emotions exist within a system? How can knowledge, feeling, and experience be translated into a visual abstract form?
This led to the development of TOVA NUTS, artworks that encapsulate research, emotion, and knowledge within a sculptural form. These pieces represent an inner experience at their core, while their outer shell provides structure, protection, and a visible presence, mirroring the way financial models embody data while reflecting the emotional and social dynamics behind them.

You have lived and worked in several cities, including Almaty, London and Dubai. How have these different places influenced your work?

Each place I've lived in has uniquely contributed to the evolution of my artistic language.
Almaty is tied to my earliest sensory experiences and is where my relationship with music, emotion, and atmosphere began. My musical education there continues to influence the rhythm and internal structure of my work.
London significantly shaped my intellectual and research-driven approach by providing academic discipline, analytical tools, and a deeper understanding of financial systems. My time in London was crucial for developing my thinking around structure, evidence, models, and long-term research.
Dubai broadened the scale and openness of my practice. This city of movement, ambition, and global exchange unites different cultures, markets, and visual languages. It encourages me to see art as multidimensional, capable of transitioning between object, installation, performance, and digital space.
Additionally, living in Saint-Petersburg, along with periods in Israel and the USA, has enriched my perspective. These experiences span Asia, the Middle East, Russia, Europe and America, immersing me in a tapestry of diverse cultures, languages, and religions. This intersection of varied backgrounds is reflected in my art and informs my multicultural way of living and understanding.
Together, these countries have shaped a layered practice that is emotional and sensory, analytical and research-based, and open to global, immersive formats. They have taught me the beauty of multiculturalism and the power of art to transcend boundaries and connect diverse worlds.

Your practice moves between painting, installation, music and performance. How do you decide which medium to use for a particular idea?

At this stage, I see my practice not as a movement between separate media, but as a process in which different experiences have come together in one artistic form.
TOVA NUTS are mixed media sculptural artworks. They bring together painting, object, sculpture, installation, thinking and conceptual research. In this form, my earlier experience with music, performance, screen-based work, text and visual art is no longer separate. It becomes part of one system.
The form of the NUT is important because it can hold several layers at once. It has a core and a shell. It has an inside and an outside. It can exist as a sculptural object, while parts of it can also be presented on the wall as individual artworks. This allows the work to move between painting, sculpture and installation.
So, I do not choose a medium only at the beginning of a project. I ask what kind of body the idea needs. Some ideas need a flat surface. Others need volume, sound, light or space. In TOVA NUTS, these experiences are combined into a single artistic and production form.
For me, this is a natural development of my practice. Research, emotion, object, colour, volume and surface meet in one work. The artwork becomes a complete system rather than a single image.

How does your academic background shape the way you approach art and research in your practice?

My academic experience profoundly shapes my practice, as I do not separate research from art; I view them as interconnected methods for understanding complex systems.
In academic research, I begin with a question, formulate a hypothesis, collect data, analyse structures, and search for patterns. I approach my art using a similar process, with the outcome manifesting as something visual, sensory, and material.
My work in finance allows me to engage with concepts such as market depth, volatility, forecasting models, liquidity, value, and risk. These terms hold significant meaning for me, as they also carry emotional weight. Behind each market movement lies the complex interplay of human behaviour, where decisions are influenced not only by knowledge but also by emotions, estimations, beliefs, and various cognitive biases that shape financial choices.
This is why I use research as the foundation for my artworks. I translate analytical findings into form, colour, and structure. My academic background provides precision to my practice, while art enables me to express what cannot be fully captured by data.

Can you describe your creative process when starting a new work or project?

My creative process begins with a research question or a specific system that fascinates me, often stemming from my academic inquiries about the world. I typically draw from areas such as financial markets, machine learning, asset valuation, trading behaviour, or emotional patterns within data. Finance is fundamentally a social science, and my exploration of these themes reflects a deeper understanding of human behaviour and decision-making.
Next, I examine the structure of this question. I consider both the visible layer, which may include data, charts, tables, or models, and the hidden layer that encompasses the emotional landscape: uncertainty, hope, greed, fear, tension, or satisfaction.
From there, I search for the appropriate visual form. In my TOVA NUTS series, this involves constructing a core and a shell. The core embodies the knowledge, feelings, and findings, while the shell provides a physical manifestation of this inner content.
For me, colour, shape, and volume are never purely decorative; they are integral to the research. White may convey clarity or hope, red can suggest volatility and unpredictability, black may reference the surface of trading platforms and financial models, and gold and beige can evoke notions of value and valuation.
The final artwork is a material culmination of this process. It encapsulates both the research journey and the emotional experience of navigating through it, ultimately serving as a bridge between analytical inquiry and human expression. This synthesis allows me to explore and communicate the complexities of the world.

Geometry and abstraction appear often in your work. What interests you about using these visual structures?

Geometry and abstraction play a vital role in my work as they enable me to explore intricate relationships and patterns within various systems. These systems can include financial markets, social dynamics, and emotional landscapes, where interactions between different elements create complex behaviours and outcomes.
Through geometry, I can visually represent the structures and frameworks that underpin these systems, while abstraction allows me to capture the more elusive elements, such as emotions and intuitions, that are difficult to quantify.
Horizontal lines are particularly significant in my pieces, representing market data, market depth, and the dynamics of trading systems. They evoke measurement and movement over time.
I am captivated by the intersection of these two approaches. Geometry offers structure and clarity, while abstraction reveals the inner life of experience. Together, they allow me to explore both systems and emotions, creating a visual narrative that resonates deeply with viewers.

Many of your works translate emotional states into visual form. What kinds of emotions or experiences do you most often explore?

I often explore emotions related to uncertainty, risk, hope, greed, and fear, along with positive feelings like satisfaction, pride, and achievement. These emotions are central to financial markets, where traders and investors act amid uncertainty. I am particularly interested in how individuals respond during rapid market changes, such as high volatility or sudden movements, and how they cope with the hope that their decisions are correct.
Alongside fear, I examine anxiety, euphoria, and regret, which can significantly influence reactions to market fluctuations. The satisfaction of achieving success brings a sense of value, while fulfilment arises from the research and analysis that inform decision-making.
I also explore love and connection as essential components of the human emotional spectrum, influencing choices in both financial contexts and everyday life. These relationships shape how we navigate uncertainty and risk, offering support in personal and professional interactions.
Ultimately, emotion and knowledge are interconnected and vital to our experiences of the world. This relationship informs my translation of emotional states into visual forms, creating a narrative that connects human experience with the systems we inhabit and enriches my artistic practice.

TOVA NUTS, Building the horizons, 2026 © TOVA

How have audiences responded to your work in different cities such as Berlin, London or Dubai? Do these contexts change how the work is received?

Yes, each context changes the way the work is received. In London, audiences often grasp the research and financial background of the work directly. The connection between academic thinking, market systems, and visual form feels natural there.
In Dubai, responses tend to focus on the object, scale, and presence of the work. Given Dubai's environment of speed, value, ambition, and global exchange, themes of markets, transformation, and visual impact resonate strongly.
In Berlin, audiences are open to experimentation and engage deeply with the relationship between concept, body, space, and emotional experience. Berlin allows for a more performative and installation-based exploration within my practice.
I find this variation vital. While the artwork itself remains consistent, each city reveals different layers of interpretation. One audience may emphasise the research aspect, another may focus on the object's presence, and yet another may engage with the emotional or spatial experience.

As the founder of Tova Gallery, how does running a gallery influence your perspective as an artist?

Running Tova Gallery significantly influences my perspective as an artist by fostering connections and collaboration with other artists, creating a vibrant artistic dialogue that generates new ideas and enriches my personal view.
As an artist, I focus on the inner logic of my work. However, as a gallery founder, I also consider context, audience, presentation, and interaction. Through this role, I gain insights into how artworks communicate within space and how viewers engage with them.
Tova Gallery provides a platform for visual art, research, presentation, and exchange, allowing me to think beyond individual objects to the broader artistic systems in which they exist. This experience increases my awareness of how crucial the surrounding environment is for an artwork's impact.
Additionally, running a gallery deepens my understanding of responsibility. A gallery creates a framework for artistic voices, shaping how works are perceived, understood, and remembered. This synergy not only enhances my artistic practice but also cultivates a community where diverse perspectives can flourish and inspire innovation.

Lastly, what projects or artistic directions are you hoping to explore in the near future?

I am excited to continue developing TOVA NUTS as mixed media sculptural artworks while expanding TOVA WORLDS into immersive artistic environments.
My next direction involves a deeper integration of research, object, sound, screen-based work, and performance. I am focused on creating projects where painting, sculpture, video, poetry, and music come together in a cohesive visual system.
I am exploring financial markets and human behaviour within economic systems. This exploration is a deep reflection on how these structures shape our experiences and decisions. As I look through the lens of history and the development of humanity, I uncover enduring patterns in human behaviour. I find that, regardless of technological advancements, our fundamental emotional experiences remain remarkably consistent.
I have a deep desire to connect the lessons of history with the modern world by analysing how humanity, emotions, and the inner lives of individuals have evolved across different contexts. This approach allows me to understand not just the mechanics of economic systems, but also the profound impact they have on human relationships and identity.
Additionally, I yearn to explore cultural identity through my own life experiences, discovering the common threads that bind people across various countries and cultures. While I have many ideas swirling within me, I am dedicated to working step by step, ensuring that each aspect of my artistic journey is meaningful and thoughtfully developed.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mr. Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9 Contemporary, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.

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