Watch artist duo Nasarimba in conversation with gallery owner/founder Viviane Mehr.
In Conversation with Nasarimba
The collaborative practice of artists Rachel Ziriada and Mikhail Miller, Nasarimba is a fictional word created by the duo which means playful mischief. They are perhaps most recognized for their dynamic and colourful murals, many of them gracing walls around Calgary, across Canada and in Mexico City.
In this exhibition, the visual language of their large murals is transcribed to paintings on canvas and painted wood sculptures. On this more intimate scale, the paper-collage nature of their abstract compositions seems even more evident. At the same time, their use of shadow and the assemblage of objects within their imagery has a very sculptural effect. Playing with shapes and forms both recognizable and imagined their abstractions explore dualities, responding to architecture and the natural world, to interior as well as outdoor spaces.
Since 2015, the two have been merging their talents, cross-pollinating Mikhail’s background in painting and print making (BFA, 2006, Alberta University of the Arts, Calgary), with Rachel’s background in multi-media installation and design (BFA, 2015, University of Victoria). In addition to their inclusion in an impressive list of Mural Festivals, their work has also been included in presentations at Arts Commons, Sled Island and Wreck City.
