Interview with Tiana Diakova
We invite you to discover and enjoy our exclusive interview with this promising young artist, whose work continues to evolve with remarkable sensitivity and strength.
Tiana Diakova
Based in Barcelona, Tiana Diakova develops a pictorial language where the human figure becomes a field of exploration rather than a fixed subject.
Her work unfolds in a space where observation and intuition meet, navigating between structural precision and a more fluid, atmospheric expression. At the core of her practice lies a persistent interest in understanding how the body relates to space, energy, and perception.
In her childhood, she spent summers camping with her parents in natural parks. The vastness of the environment, the shifting light, and the sensation of being immersed in something greater than oneself continue to resonate in her work. This connection does not appear as a literal reference, but rather as an underlying sensibility that informs the rhythm and openness of her compositions.
In her paintings, the figure is never static. It expands, contracts, dissolves, and reappears, existing in a constant state of transformation. Rather than defining the body through rigid contours, Tiana Diakova allows it to breathe within the canvas, creating a subtle tension between what is visible and what is suggested. Gesture and balance become essential elements, not only to describe form, but to evoke internal states that remain in motion.
Her time at the Barcelona Academy of Art played a decisive role in consolidating this dual approach. By combining rigorous figurative training with experimental processes, she began to construct a visual dialogue between control and release. The coexistence of carefully rendered anatomy with more spontaneous, abstract passages reflects an ongoing negotiation between discipline and freedom within her practice.
The introduction of oil painting marked a further evolution in her work. Through its material depth and chromatic richness, Tiana Diakova expanded her ability to convey atmosphere and emotional intensity. Color began to operate not simply as a descriptive tool, but as an active force within the composition, shaping the relationship between figure and space in increasingly complex ways.
Her work ultimately revolves around a fundamental question: how to translate the experience of being alive into a visual form. In a time marked by speed and disconnection, her paintings create a space of suspension, where attention returns to the body and to the present moment. The figures she depicts are not defined by identity, but by sensation, inviting the viewer into a more direct and intuitive encounter.
Through this approach, Tiana Diakova constructs images that do not seek to impose meaning, but to open it. Each painting becomes an invitation to perceive, to feel, and to recognize within oneself that same state of movement, balance, and quiet intensity that inhabits her work.
Issue 84 of The Guide Artists was released on March 16, featuring Tiana Diakova on the cover.
Tiana’s artistic journey began with a deep fascination for color and form, which she cultivated over years of experimentation in painting and mixed media. She developed a distinctive style that combined expressive brushwork with a refined sense of composition, resulting in works that were both vibrant and contemplative. Her formal training and ongoing exploration of contemporary artistic practices enabled her to create paintings that resonated with emotional depth and visual harmony.
DISCOVER MORE… THE GUIDE ARTISTS MAGAZINE ISSUE 84
