One of the prime benefits of having internet connectivity (if you choose to use it joyfully and productively over doom-scrolling, posting rage bait or arguing with mostly bots) is the opportunity to find countless intriguing human beings. Some create beautiful, challenging art and even write about it; imagine that. In this episode of C. somehow convinced an art friend to respond to my curiosity in brief interview format, I introduce you to Maria Alekseev, a dealer in Figurative Surrealism, whose work profoundly manifests in forms of paintings, intaglio and assemblage to name a few mediums. 

Okay then. Welcome to the OpticVoid.

C. Thinking on how much thought and intent goes into your pieces I’m curious as to the name OpticVoid. Where does it come from? What does it mean? 

Maria Alekseev: There’s always a certain amount of prejudgment that comes along with interpreting one’s given name, so for a while I decided to go with something unique. I created OpticVoid through my desire to take command of the empty spaces’ others are too afraid to explore within their artwork. It reflects the deeper depths of emotion, filled with visuals both familiar and unfamiliar, often a bit uncomfortable. But recently, I’ve been returning to using my given name because, unfortunately, the professional field has so many rules one must follow to participate.

C. Writing about your process and all the thoughts you have which you choose to share seems to be an important part of your art life. Honestly, I appreciate it immensely and I’m sure there are many others who do as well. Context matters to me at least, especially when engaging art digitally. Where is writing positioned within the venn diagram of your art journey? How does it benefit your practice?

Maria Alekseev: The writing is mostly for me. It serves as a chronological marker, a bookmark for my memories. I have a lot of health issues that have caused a significant impact on my memory and created chronic stress. As a result, my mind often feels chaotic, fragmented, and cloudy, so I try to write as much as I can about each painting or piece I create.

I also have a lot of anxiety, so writing helps me process it. It serves as a reference for my contemplations and a reminder of why I feel the way I do. I’m not going to omit the fact that I think about death often and want there to be written documentation of my work, so there isn’t a critic trying to decipher my personal intentions.

C. Your work embodies a full range of emotion externalizing varied sets of subtle to intense energies. Very paradoxical as pieces can exhibit melancholy, deep pain and sadness while whimsy, curiosity and in some cases optimism is present. A feeling of deep contemplation or an attempt to make sense of both the external world and your internal mechanisms is my experience when viewing. These are my thoughts at least. What say you?

Maria Alekseev: Wow, you did an amazing job articulating that, you’re pretty spot on. I tend to sit in a deep state of darkness where things feel enigmatic, sad, and chaotic. My life has come with what feels like a non-stop chain of challenges, pain, and physical illness. I spend a lot of time reflecting on my life experiences and circumstances to better understand myself, often going deeper than I probably should.

My curiosity is a big driver in dissecting my thoughts, and memory loss is the other. I’m not quite sure how much of that loss is from stress, age, or the neurological movement disorder that affects my whole body. My mind often feels like it skips and fragments my thoughts, it deletes memories, leaving what feels like blank spaces I can never get back. This sometimes causes my artwork to feel jumbled or unresolved.

The whimsy often refers to positive memories or things I find interesting; it’s a way to take control of the bigger picture and allow myself to “come up for air.” It reminds me that I do have hope at times mostly because of my love for my husband which creates a glimmer of light, a sense of happiness, and an optimism for a better life someday.

To further investigate Maria Alekseev’s works, words and support her practice you can visit the following links:

Website - opticvoid.com

Substack - opticvoid.substack.com

Patreon - patreon.com/opticvoidnyc

If you’re intrigued and moved even an inkling by this post please SHARE it. Invite more people to this community of art lovers we’re building. 

Maria's works in order of appearance:

The Icon [Colors of Chaos] 2025, 36″x24″ Acrylic, watercolor, oil pastel, found objects

Untitled work. 2009, 6 x 6 in. Multiple plate intaglio etching

Altered Balance [Acid Circus series] 2022, 2″ x 2.5″ Intaglio etching on paper in bespoke frame

Surrender + Make Magic [Sin + Magic series] 2023, 11 x 14 in. Acrylic & watercolor over found image, paper

Unbound By You [Sin + Magic series] 2023, 11 x 14 in. Acrylic & watercolor over found image, paper

Deliver Us From Evil 2024, 11 x 7 x 4 in. Shadowbox, intaglio, clay, found objects

While I've yet to fully detail what it is, after two years of activating SMUDGE. online and off I decided to start asking people what SMUDGE. is to them.

I posed the query to artist ATMC and he shared the following:

"SMUDGE. is a simple reminder. The word itself represents cleansing, renewal, and a constant protection I have sometimes felt undeserving of. Skulls are portrayed as a symbol of death, and that is often misconstrued in a negative light. The cycle of life & death reminds us as humans that we are equal in that inevitability. We cannot avoid it.

This particular piece resonated with me, because I have gone through near-death experiences. I have seen how precious life is, and the importance of holding on to it, protecting it, and changing. What others see as an omen, I find strength in. A reminder to change what I can, not focus on what I cannot change. This is why SMUDGE. is a significant piece of art, a movement.

The series thus far, drenched in symbolism, rewrites what we thought we knew. It’s always skulls, transformative and provocative. I have watched it evolve throughout the years since its inception, and every time I see the words, I am reminded about the journey of life. To learn, to love, to hold, to fight, to protect, and simply live. Fully experience life and everything that comes with it."

To discover more about ATMC visit https://atmcmusic.co/

Lillian Bassman, Solarized Fashion Study (ca. 1960). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Lizzie and Eric Himmel. © Estate of Lillian Bassman.

Lillian Bassman, Variant of The Yellow Smock Coat (1950). Gelatin silver print with applied media. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Lizzie and Eric Himmel. © Estate of Lillian Bassman.

Junior Bazaar, January 1947. Design by Lillian Bassman and Alexey Brodovitch, featuring a photograph by Ernst Beadle. Collection of Vince Aletti. Courtesy of Harper’s BAZAAR/Hearst Magazine Media, Inc.

Lillian Bassman and Rouben Samberg, “Vocabulary of Courage,” 1944. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Lizzie and Eric Himmel, 2025.

Lillian Bassman, Variant of Lighter Girdles, Rounder Curves (1948). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Lizzie and Eric Himmel. © Estate of Lillian Bassman.

When I tell you the amount of incredible people I know and I am in community with it's rather mind blowing. Amon is quite simply a quality well rounded human being. He's also courageous because in 2018 he invited me to be a guest on his show New York Said. This Youtube video of him speaking at SVA recently popped up on my feed and I wanted to share his brillance. Also, I was there. His story is a great one. Enjoy. 

"MPS Digital Photography presents a talk with Amon Focus, the founder and driving creative force behind New York Said. Focus is a documentary photographer, culture journalist and producer with an unwavering mission: to document and preserve the messages hidden in plain sight, not only within the five boroughs but also globally. Complementing this visual narrative, he hosts the New York Said interview series, in which he has engaged in over 250 in-depth conversations with luminaries such as Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz, acclaimed photographer Jay Maisel, and legendary graffiti writer TAKI 183. Through both lens and microphone, Focus curates and celebrates the stories and insights of the city that too often go unnoticed. The i3: Images, Ideas, Inspiration lecture series has returned to in-person events. The series continues to feature leading photographers, artists, editors, gallerists and industry experts. We are pleased to announce that our Fall 2023 i3 lecture series will feature curator, editor and vice-president of the American Photography Archives Group Julie Grahame as curator and host. Click on the link for information about SVA's one-year master's degree program in Digital Photography."

This short documentary revisits the extraordinary life and legacy of Wifredo Lam (1902–1982)—the Cuban artist who bridged continents, cultures, and movements.

Through the words of his son, curators, and a conservator, Lam’s story unfolds across some of the most turbulent moments of the 20th century: from his time fighting in the Spanish Civil War, to Paris where he met important collaborators—Pablo Picasso and the Surrealists—before having to flee the Nazis, to his return to Cuba. It was there that he radically reimagined his artistic project, starting with his best-known painting, "The Jungle."

Featuring rare images of his studio, archival footage, personal reflections, and intimate commentary, this film reveals how Lam’s identity and political convictions shaped a visionary art that spoke to exile, colonialism, spirituality, and resilience. Watch to explore how Wifredo Lam redefined what it means to create, find kinship, and resist injustice through art.