V A L E N T I N A B R O S T E A N
Valentina Brostean (born in Novi Sad, Serbia, in 1983) graduated from Faculty of Fine Arts Novi Sad, holds the BFA degree in graphic design and MFA degree in Illustration and Book design.
Valentina Brostean is multi-disciplinary visual artist. Her work is figurative and surreal, expressed in various mediums across many fields of visual art. After Graduation on Master studies she covered the role of teaching assistant on the Illustration department on Academy of Arts Novi Sad. Throughout this period she started to explore and study traditional painting as medium, translating her eclectic illustrative style onto the canvas. Since 2006 to nowdays she has exhibited widely in personal and group exhibitions throughout Europe: Serbia, Italy, Great Britain, Germany, Middle East and the United States.
Her artistic practice is related to different art sectors, ranging from fields of culture (curated gallery exhibitions on international level) to illustration and graphic design. She's specialized in illustration for children and adults, magazine editorials & character design - using both traditional media as well as softwares and the latest technology.
She works mainly from subconscious imagery. Over the years she has been strongly inspired by people, animals, nature, dreams as well as urban culture, surrealism movement and street art. Combining all these elements she has developed her own, very personal, technique and style - the result of a perpetual journey, a constant search for identity and complexity of meanings.
Currently she works as an independent artist focusing on her personal self expression through the creative process and collaborating with worldwide talents, illustration and design agencies, diverse companies, galleries and collectors on various art projects which allow her to apply her eclectic creativity.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:
MFA 2009 (Master of Fine Arts degree), Academy of Arts Novi Sad / department for graphic design and illustration, Area of Specialization: ILLUSTRATION
BFA 2006 (Bachelor of Fine Arts degree), Academy of Arts Novi Sad / department for graphic design and illustration WORK EXPERIENCE :
2017 – current Illustrator at http://www.illozoo.com/
2016 - current Illustrator and graphic designer at “Inky Illustration Agency” London, UK http://www.inkyillustration.com/valentina-brostean
2014 - 2016 Freelance graphic designer and illustrator at OSCE / Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europa
2013 - 2014 Senior coordinator of international program on department for visual arts and design at Art Hub, Abu Dhabi, UAE Duties: Involved in coordination (theory and practice) on department for visual arts and design, working as a teacher and organizer on series of various classes for International students interested in learning and developing new set of skills in field of visual arts and graphic design. All classes were held in English.
2009 - 2012 Graduate student Instructor/ Assistant on department for graphic design on Academy of Arts Novi Sad
Duties: full member of academic staff involved in various teaching responsibilities including active work (pratice and theory) with students with major subjects: Illustration, Poster design, Applied graphic, Digital media - spreading good practice during the work process, developing innovative learning materials and techniques, mentoring and contributing to staff development, shaping the Faculty's and the University's agenda along other Academic members.
2006 - 2007 Senior graphic designer position in Advertising agency "Profile", Belgrade Duties: Developing concepts and artwork, creating graphic design solutions from concept through to completion. • Responsible for developing and creating both digital and print design for a wide range of print and online campaigns, publications and advertising / Creating original artwork for short and long term projects. • Involved in designing advertisements, brochures, handouts, flyers and online graphics. • Designing, managing and producing projects from brief to fulfillment. • Ensuring consistency in a clients corporate and promotional brands. • Presenting finalized ideas & concepts to clients, colleagues and senior managers. • Answering queries from clients. • Working with a range of media / Keeping up to date with new software, post-production techniques & industry trends.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
• Adobe Creative Suite • Photoshop • Illustrator • In-Design • manual drawing, painting, illustration • digital drawing, painting, illustration LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY :
• Italian - Professional working proficiency • English - Professional working proficiency • Serbian - Native/ bilingual proficiency
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: •A CAN DO ATTITUDE • Good verbal and written communication skills • A team player willing to work in a fast-paced environment •Great time management skills •The ability to work under pressure
ART PRACTICE RELATED:
SOLO SHOWS:
2013 “Amantes cultural center”, Torino, Italy - mixed media works “Samsara” 2012 “Dorothy Circus Gallery”, Rome, Italy - paintings “Last drop of innocence” 2012 “Galo Art Gallery”, Torino, Italy - paintings “visiONs OFF an empty mind” 2011 “Pagus gallery”, Philadelphia, USA - serial of paintings ”Circle of life” 2011 “Fache Arts” Gallery Miami, USA - paintings and drawings, selection 2010 “Belgrade cultural center”, mixed media illustrations “Why ladybirds eat people?” 2009 “Fache Arts” Gallery Miami, USA - paintings and drawings “Stories from a Neverland”
GROUP SHOWS (SELECTION) :
2017 “A night at the movies - inspired by Tim Burton filmography”, Penumbra gallery, Lisbon, Portugal 2016 “Corpus Dei”, Nero Gallery, Roma, IT 2016 “Cube show” Baker + Hasseldenz gallery, CA, USA 2016 “Svelata- erotic extracts from Italian scene”, Gallery Cell 63, Berlin, Germany 2015 "Coexist or die show”, by “Arte in Barriera foundation”, Turin - Rome, IT 2015 "Story book show", curated by Warholian journalist Michael Cuffe, Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, USA, 2015 "Cimerman show", Gristle Art Gallery, NY, USA, 2015 "IDIOT BOX", Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, USA 2015 "Comedians show", Gallery 1988", Los Angeles, USA 2014 “Art Auction” organized by KOLEKTIV1, NY, USA 2014 "MAD in Italy", group show, Enim Aritst gallery, Milan, Italy 2014 "Hidden Kingdoms show", Dream factory gallery, Frankfurt, Germany 2014 "Il posto delle favole", Edizione 2014, Rocca Sinibalda, Museo A.Miniucchi 2013 “Lacrima Aquarium”, Aquario Romano MUSEUM - collaboration with Dorothy Circus Gallery, Rome, IT 2013 “Wanderlust”, Modern Eden gallery, San Francisco USA 2013 “6 impossible things before breakfast”, Dream factory gallery, Frankfurt, Germany 2013 “Abu Dhabi Art Hub”, Italian masters Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE 2013 “Stroke art fair”, Munich, Germany - represented by Pretty Portal Gallery 2013 “Bears in the honor of spring”, UK Parobord, Belgrade, RS 2013 “Painted sound”, Flower- pepper gallery, Pasadena, USA 2012 “Urban Expo,” Pretty Portal gallery, Dusseldorf, Germany 2012 “Pop surrealism - Stay foolish”, Museo Casa del Conte Verde, Rivoli, Italy – organized by Dorothy Circus Gallery 2012 “Runaway circus”, August Clown Gallery, Melbourne, Australia 2012 SWAB - International contemporary art fair, Barcelona, Spain, represented by Dorothy Circus Gallery 2012 “Game over”, the Nova Belgica Art Gallery, Saint Truden, Belgium 2012 “Illustrated”, Pretty Portal gallery, Dusseldorf, Germany 2011 “Summer show”, Hive Gallery, LA, USA 2011 “Alterazioni Visive”, Arcidosso, Italy 2009 “Golden Pen of Belgrade”, International Triennial of Illustration, Belgrade, Serbia 2009 “Cut & Paste”, postcard show, international exhibition, Stockholm, Sweden
REFERENCES / Clients, magazines publications & editorials, blogs, collaborators :
Beautiful Bizarre Nakid magazine, SF,USA Exhibition-ism, SF,USA Digital Arts UK DEPTHCORE artist collective USA (member/ voted) Juxtapoz / USA Creative review/ UK Get inspired/ NL Lamono / SPAIN New Web Pick/ JAPAN Castle / USA Candy / USA Digital Ink / USA Chew / USA Art Nectar / UK Empty Kingdom / UK Catapult Art Mag / USA Dailyartfixx / Spain Sweet Station / NYC,USA Upperplayground / USA Robot mafia/ GERMANY Date-Hub / ITALY ELLE / R.Serbia, JOY / R.Serbia, Gloria / R.Serbia OSCE / OEBS / R. Serbia Telekom / R. Serbia
AWARDS :
2014 First award on „BookILL Fest“ during "International book fair Novi Sad" for the illustrated graphic novel - final project on Master studies named "Why ladybirds eat people"
2010 Selected among hundreds worldwide talents for the international project with subject “USA BY DESIGNERS” organization, on subject “What does USA means to you?”
2009 First award / Golden plaque for Master project „Why ladybirds eat people?“ on international biennial of illustration Golden Pen of Belgrade
2007 First prize - golden plaque for theater poster project on 12. international biennial of theater poster ''Sterijino Pozorje''
2006 “Academy of Art year award", year award for the best graduated student on Academy of Arts Novi Sad- department for graphic design and illustration
FEW WORDS ABOUT MY ART:
“My body of work is built of melancholic interaction between man-made status symbols and frozen moments of the Utopian childhood memories. Strongly focused on figurative narration my characters simply reflect us – modern society in all its shapes and forms.Yet the only place where we are truly revealed as who we are is from the inside. If you examine my work closely, you might come to the realization that my creatures are really kind of self portraits, set in fantastical landscapes of an imaginary world which echoes my own…a bitter, yet sweetly coated prescription for modern life.”
PERSONAL DETAILS:
Born in ex Yugoslavia, city Novi Sad - Currently living and working in Turin, Italy Current address: Via Vincenzo Monti 28, Torino, Italy Phone: (342) 042-7635 Email Address: [email protected]
PORTFOLIOS ON THE WEB:
P O R T F O L I O : https://www.behance.net/valentinabrostean C O M M E R C I A L W O R K : http://www.behance.net/vale24 I N S T A G R A M :https://instagram.com/valentina_brostean F A C E B O O K F A N P A G E : https://www.facebook.com/VALENTINA.BROSTEAN T W I T T E R : twitter.com/VBrostean L I N K E D I N: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentinabrostean