Nicolai Ganichev (Mykola Ganichev) — visual artist, painter, designer. Born in 1998 in Simferopol, Ukraine. Currently lives and works in Porto, Portugal. Nicolai Ganichev interprets figurative imagery through oil and gouache paintings. His art is a sort of meditation on the human soul, consciousness, and internal conflict. Being fascinated with the anatomy of the human body and inspired by the masters like Rembrandt, Egon Schiele, and Lucian Freud, as well as philosophy, literature, and cinema, Nicolai's work aims to convey the complexity of the human existence and at the same time evoke a sense of ease and curiosity, create a space for calm introspection in the fast-paced modern world. Working with oil and gouache, Nicolai employs a range of techniques which involve rather non-conventional ways to approach the process, such as extensive layering, scraping and sanding. Experimenting with the surface qualities, Nicolai stays consistent with overall visual language and the main themes in his works.