Amulet by Irina Merkulova
Explore Mondoir Studio
Medium: Oil on canvas (palette knife)
Dimensions: 70 x 100 cm
Year: 2025
Price: $1390.00 USD
Status: available
"Amulet" emerged from my deep fascination with ancestral power and the timeless guardianship it offers. As I painted, I envisioned the whispers of ancient spirits, their wisdom and protection woven into the very fabric of our existence. Each face in this piece is a tribute to those who came before us, their strength and resilience echoing through time. The layered faces and ritualistic forms are not just visual elements; they are vessels of energy and history. Using a palette knife, I sculpted rich textures that mimic the complexity of our heritage. The colors, earthy yet vibrant, convey a sense of warmth and enduring vitality, drawing you into their spiritual embrace. I hope that when you stand before "Amulet," you feel the presence of these ancestral protectors. May it serve as a reminder of the unseen forces that guide us, offering strength and solace in moments of uncertainty. This piece is not just a painting; it's a connection to the past, a talisman of protection and power.
Why collect this work?
Amulet builds authority through accumulation: its stacked faces, flaring crowns, and repeated eyes turn portraiture into an emblem of shared vigilance rather than individual likeness.
- Merkulova states that her practice addresses femininity, cultural memory, and protection. The painting supports that intention through a compact assembly of watchful figures, though their identities and relationships remain unresolved.
- In the photograph, a small face occupies the lowest left edge while larger heads rise toward a central axis. This uneven hierarchy keeps the formation from becoming a fixed icon and suggests power gathered across generations or roles.
- The catalogue records oil on canvas applied with a palette knife. That medium permits opaque colour to be laid, dragged, and interrupted; here, sharp blue accents and broad orange-brown passages bind facial features to surrounding ornament.
- Encountered as a 2025 painting titled Amulet, the work tests how a protective object can be translated into a field of gazes. Its significance lies in making guardianship collective, visible, and difficult to assign to one figure.
About the Artist
Irina Merkulova
Irina Merkulova is an artist on Mondoir Studio. Artistic discipline: painting. Based in Dubai, AE.
Nationality: Russian
I am interested in moments of inner stillness — states that exist beyond narrative, time, or place.
