Ilana Wajcberg
Ilana Wajcberg (São Paulo, 1970), a Brazilian visual artist, lives in São Paulo. She graduated in Design and Architecture at H.I.T. and pursued an M.F.A. in Fine Arts in Paris, France.
Exploring architecture and botany, she developed series such as Edited Nature, Layers, and Botanical Garden. Her work features graphic patterns, curved lines, and landscapes. For her, plants and architecture serve as open-air encyclopedias.
Wajcberg blends botanical themes to create dreamlike, abstract landscapes that blur illusion and reality. Her research explores femininity through personal experiences, combined with architectural and natural elements.
Ilana developed a style inspired by nature’s mysticism, merging her passions for watercolor and nature. Using various techniques, she captures the beauty of plants, flowers, and other elements.
Artist Statement
Ilana Wajcberg develops her artistic practice through a continuous search for her roots and essence. Her work explores memories, origins, and experiences that transcend generations—not in pursuit of definitive answers, but as an ongoing process of questioning and new perspectives.
Her creative process begins with watercolor, a medium that enables fluid and immediate expression of emotions and ideas. These compositions explore multiple visual and conceptual layers, blending abstraction and figuration in a minimalist approach that broadens discussions on identity and perception.
Building upon these initial studies, Wajcberg extends her research to acrylic, oil, and other paints on canvas, creating layered surfaces that challenge traditional flatness. The resulting effect captivates the viewer, leading them into a sensory and reflective engagement with the artwork.
The Deep Femininity series emerges from the artist's perception of the changes that occurred both in her body and in her being after becoming a mother. The series consists of six works and, despite being an autobiographical production, it serves as an invitation to all women to explore their own phases and engage in self-discovery. As a continuation of her previous series, elements that characterize her paintings are also present, such as patterns, bold colors, and geometric grids, all layered together.
https://www.instagram.com/ilanawajcberg/
What themes or emotions are you exploring in your current work?
Currently, I explore the dialogues of everyday female life through my personal journey, dreams, and therapeutic reflections. I translate these experiences through Brazilian botany, symbolizing the strength of motherhood and the process of maturation. The work invites a sensitive listening to these intimate and transformative experiences.
What does your creative process look like?
My creative process begins with watercolor, where I explore transparencies, layering, and the fluidity of gesture. These experiments generate compositions that move between the figurative and the abstract. From this journey, a sensitive geography emerges, guided by memories, emotions, and intuition.
What inspires you outside of the visual arts?
I am inspired by deconstructivist architecture, botany, and the exuberance of Brazilian landscapes. Spirituality—especially through the practice of yoga—guides my attentive listening and connects me to the intuitive gesture in the creative process, as well as to the transformation of the female body and soul from youth to old age.
How do you balance personal expression with the business side of your career?
Authenticity in creation is the foundation where I find my purpose and unique voice, reflecting my personal story in my paintings. I seek a communicative language that resonates with those who connect with my art while maintaining my artistic integrity. At the same time, I value the accessibility and relevance of the works for collectors, museums, and galleries.
What do you hope viewers feel or take away from your work?
My work invites a deep connection—a poetic reflection on memories, sensations, and processes rooted in the intimate experience of the feminine. I aim to create a space of resonance and recognition, where a symbolic mirror emerges between viewer and artworks.
