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.
![Unbound By You [Sin + Magic series] 2023, 11 x 14 in. Acrylic & watercolor over found image, paper](https://imgproxy.fourthwall.dev/8dAGdpLea8MRo8DRQ1F6OmFUb5wfuAfc58RNoeasOIs/w:890/el:0/sm:1/q:90/enc/MjAyNWQ4YjUyZTE2/N2ExNZoXkm6absV6/9oLhYv3JpSxduxT_/_Ch8SorxrkeCLS7K/J_qwCoL_U_6L76V2/XuhP2V4MfO0N40J9/G7ARi04-QJuF4oDh/g8LQvliSRMYY2kko/JOUUpguzM_sfvj38/bUOBEGuOTeenIVLR/mNaAMVnPlsI.webp)
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
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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
