Marina Perunkova

Description

This series explores an inner retreat that becomes possible when a person finally steps away from the constant flow of demands, social expectations and information overload. The theme is personal for me: I balance a full-time job as a software developer, family responsibilities and everyday life alongside my art practice and solitude often becomes a necessary condition for my artistic practice. The works depict a fragile reconnection with oneself - a quiet, introspective space where the human figure can return to inner stillness and a sense of oneself. These self-portraits capture a pause in which one’s attention turns inward, away from noise, pressure and constant availability. In this sense, solitude is not an escape, but a condition for maintaining a sense of self.

Process

This series began with a very simple, personal need: to have a place where I can finally be unreachable for a moment. In everyday life I balance a full-time job as a software developer, family responsibilities and constant movement between tasks. At some point I noticed how rarely I stay alone with my own thoughts. Making these images became my way to pause - to step aside from everything that demands my attention and to return to myself through reflection and creation.

Tools

The works were created in Midjourney v7, with Magnific AI used for upscaling, detail refinement and texture enhancement. I usually start by outlining the theme in Miro: I place the central idea in the middle and build a field of associations, emotions and questions around it. Then I write text prompts - beginning with short metaphorical phrases and gradually expanding them through iterations, adding new metaphors, emotions and images based on my Miro map. I experiment with Midjourney parameters to achieve the mood and atmosphere I’m aiming for. Each image goes through multiple rounds of selection and refinement, combining intuition and analysis in an ongoing dialogue between language and image.