Extra Layer Under the Cloak

"Take care of yourself every day, start with cleaning your coat!

I hide my feelings under my coat. I'm tucked in up to my ears. I'm bathed in a welcoming warmth. Automatically, I put my hand in my pocket and feel the crumpled pieces of handkerchiefs.

I'm wearing a different uniform this time. The narrow brown braided belt I use to tighten my flowy trousers was not so much a poor choice as a profound misunderstanding of a language game I only have a passing familiarity with."

Světlana Malinová

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A series of paintings created during a residency at the City Surfer Office gallery. In this project, I was interested in exploring spaces that evoke a sense of safety. These are figurative paintings that always include elements of clothing. The clothing determines the composition, shapes the system, and sometimes serves a decorative function. Beneath the garments are figures — often portraits or just fragments of faces. Clothing here becomes a place of safety, where the figures hide and peek out from necklines or pockets. A strong inspiration for this work was the medieval depiction of Our Lady of Protection, who shelters humanity beneath her cloak. It’s as if she is “layering people under her coat.” I complemented the paintings with watercolors on handmade paper, painted during the residency, containing personal memories dear to me. Pinned to the wall with thumbtacks, they function as patches.

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