ALICIA DUBNYCKYJ

Given that conceptual artists can employ a whole team to realise their vision, a painting that has come from one hand is something special: the brushstrokes on canvas are as unique as a fingerprint. Paintings still invite a human dimension to art, one fixed perspective and direct emotional contact. It's traditional, purist – with no trickery.

Alicia Dubnyckyj's subject matter is the modern metropolis, principally its buildings, often seen from new and exciting angles. Her process is also distinctly modern, with a flash of virtual magic: she photographs the subject, scans and manipulates the image, then paints out the resulting effect.

Conversely, the technique had an organic evolution: "I've always taken photos from when I was younger, so this was just a natural process." Alicia takes a sip of her drink, her arms flecked with paint. "For me, it wouldn't be enough just to take the photos. I don't show them to anyone, not even the clients. They're just the source material. Painting is what I do, it gets emotion in there. My mood when I was there affects the colours on the palate."

A striking thing happens when you take a closer look at Alicia's paintings. You can't. Up close, it's just painted abstraction. Plus, as Alicia points out, you'd end up seeing your own reflection in the gloss paint. "I wanted to give the painting its own personal space," she reflects. "And because my work involves cities, it was important to make them modern and urban. Gloss seemed to suit that."

Alicia's canvases vividly transport you to the locations they depict, and her buyers often have personal emotional links and memories tied to the various places. Indeed much of her earlier work consciously removes people from the composition, leaving the viewer alone to contemplate the space in private. But her attitude has changed over the years.

"I used to wait around until all the people had gone before taking photos," she recalls. "Then I realised that that wasn't what the paintings were about. Cities have people in. I gradually put them back into the paintings. There's one I did in Central Park; a snowy scene with a couple walking along. Quite a few people have thought it was them."

Alicia has now approached eight diverse cities in depth, from Birmingham to Venice, London to New York. And as her international horizons continue to broaden, so does international interest in her work – forthcoming exhibitions in London and Paris will be followed by art fairs in Strasbourg and Toronto. Where next on the painted map?

"There's too many places," she smiles. "I really love Japan – I'd like to go back and explore more. I've got a list at home, it's really sad..." As Alicia gets ready to fly back to the studio for some more furious painting to supply demand, I ask whether she can keep a healthy balance between work and vacation.

"It's always, always research," she confesses. "Even if I want to go on holiday, it never ends up being that way. My partner, Paul, is always waiting for me: I'm like, 'I just want to take this photo', or 'Can we come back at night?' I always end up seeing the city through a lens."

CONTACTS

www.aliciadubnyckyj.com
alidub19@hotmail.com

Text: Dan Davies
Studio Photography: Dave Remes
Location Photography: Jamie Kelly