Pavel Hafizov - Venice Dissolving

"Venice Dissolving"

70 x 50 cm. / Acrylic on canvas / 2026.
Hand signed..
Certificate of Authenticity Included.

This spring, I visited Italy — Milan, Bergamo, Venice — and found myself captivated by its contrasts: narrow cobbled streets against sweeping grand avenues, the soaring silhouette of Milan Cathedral, the sleek modern lines of Porta Nuova, the quiet canals of Venice, and the timeworn stone of Bergamo's old town.

This series is my response to that journey — each piece painted in backlight, with these places caught in the low, golden glow of morning and evening sun. The counter-light strips the scenes down to silhouette and glow, turning familiar landmarks into something more elemental: shape, shadow, and light.

— [Pavel Hafizov]

Pavel is a Latvia-based visual artist known for his monochrome, surrealist paintings — most notably his long-running cloud series, which has found collectors in over a dozen countries. His work moves between fine art and editorial illustration, shaped by a background in caricature and a fascination with light, silhouette, and atmosphere.

In 2019 he took part in the Arte Laguna Prize at the Arsenale of Venice, Italy, receiving the Biafarin promotion award. He has held four solo exhibitions in Latvia under the title "AIR" (2018, 2020, 2021, 2025), and in 2016 his work was featured in several international group exhibitions across the USA and Canada, including recognition from the International Gallery of the Arts and Light Space Time Art Gallery.

His latest series turns to contre-jour — cityscapes from Italy rendered in the backlight of morning and evening sun.

Packed securely. Painting is covered with an antistatic foam wrap in a cardboard box.