Ana Pagul doesn’t paint faces—she paints what hides behind them. A Dubai-based figurative artist, she constructs her canvases layer by layer with translucent oil until the shadows seem to breathe. Though her palette favors blacks, greys, and beiges, her paintings are alive with intensity, chronicling doubts, memories, and emotions that typically remain unspoken. Through this restrained visual language, she invites viewers to look closer and peer beyond the surface. Below is our interview with Yana Pagul.
Your artwork often features a unique interplay of color and abstraction. How do you approach developing the visual language that defines your artistic style? ———
I appreciate that you paid attention to the colours! I must admit there are many layers of work behind them, and that’s exactly where the magic begins. However, I wouldn’t describe my work as abstract, but figurative, not literal, yet still firmly present. I consciously avoid realism, but the figures remain.
My focus is on balancing a contemporary aesthetic with the tradition of Flemish techniques, rooted in my foundation in academic drawing and classical painting. My palette is muted and neutral – I’m not about bright colours. Instead, my voice emerges through the play of light and shadow, smooth blending, delicate veils of paint, and the finely drawn contours of imperfect forms.
Can you describe your typical creative process—from initial inspiration to the finished piece? Are there specific rituals, environments, or materials that are essential for your workflow? ———
A cup of black coffee. Sometimes two. The hardest part is always starting. But once I do, the flow carries me. When I look at a blank canvas, I can already see the finished painting behind my eyelids when I blink. One painting usually takes me a few months. I get used to it, live with it, and patiently work through the layers. The biggest changes happen early – during the underpainting and the first color layer. Later, only the top coat is visible, while the layers in between remain hidden, almost like a sacrament between me and the artwork.
My environment is simple and minimalistic. All I need is a wall to staple the canvas on. I stretch it only once the painting is complete. I work in the studio, where visitors are welcome to come and experience the process firsthand. My preferred materials are linen canvases and oil paints, though I remain open to working with other mediums when the project requires it.
“When I look at a blank canvas, I can already see the finished painting behind my eyelids when I blink.”
Facing the Truth. Oil on Linen Canvas, 80 x 100 cm. 2024
You have a diverse portfolio showcased on both LinkedIn and Instagram. How does sharing your work across different platforms influence the way you create or present your art? ———
LinkedIn was something I set up years ago, right after graduating with a BBA, when I was gaining corporate experience for ‘safety reasons.’ To be honest, I haven’t updated it since. As for Instagram, I have mixed feelings about it. I don’t really enjoy it, but for an artist today it seems almost necessary to be present there. Still, I don’t share much online, because I believe art should be experienced live – where scale, true tones, and the energy of the work can genuinely be felt.
What themes or messages do you hope viewers take away from your work, and how do you strive to communicate those through your artistic choices? ———
I’ve often heard from people looking at my paintings that they got goosebumps, and that means a lot to me. Because art is not about creating a beautiful picture, it’s about evoking emotion. I hope viewers don’t just watch my paintings but feel them: to pause, to look closer, and to explore their own inner world.
My work is personal, it reflects me, but it is also about you, about the shared experiences and senses we all carry. I rarely, I would even say never, start with a fixed message. The message comes later, sometimes only after the painting is finished, and at times it reveals itself to me much later, as a memory resurfacing from my own life. What I try is to open a space that leaves room for imagination, where each viewer can bring in their own thoughts and emotions, and let the painting reflect them back.
“Art is not about creating a beautiful picture, it’s about evoking emotion.”
No.1. Oil on Canvas, 50 x 60 cm. 2020 – The painting where I found my style.
As you continue to evolve as an artist, what are some upcoming techniques or concepts you’re excited to explore in your practice? ———
Oil painting will always be at the core of my practice. I keep refining my skills, complicating my life by advancing techniques, and at the same time simply playing with the material. Recently I became curious about new shapes and formats of art. I’ve started trying my hand at sculpture and even started one already, though for now it’s still a secret, but let’s see how far I can go with a different way of telling a story. Each experiment is part of the journey, and evolution is not about changing direction but about deepening the dialogue between classical technique and contemporary expression.
Yana Pagul’s work reminds us that true art moves beyond the visible, using imperfect forms, atmosphere, and suggestion to ignite our imaginations. Her evolving journey invites us all to look beneath the surface—for the stories and the shadows that connect us.
Editorial Staff 2025
