Ana Pireva

In the upcoming Paper Lab masterclass, Tracing Cycles, artist Ana Pireva opens up the philosophy and core mechanics of her artistic practice. Her work unfolds through continuous cycles in which images and surfaces are created, marked, broken down, and reinvented. Connecting the ancient human urge to leave a trace with the physical realities of the studio, Ana approaches paper not as a passive surface, but as a living skin that records every stage of its transformation.

While her broader practice spans auto-oxidation with iron-gall inks, pulp painting, and traditional printmaking, this masterclass focuses on what Ana describes as the second cycle of her process: using paper itself as a printing matrix. Through this approach, she explores how fragile paper matrices deform, fatigue, and transform under the pressure of the printing press.

Rather than pursuing identical reproductions or perfect editions, Ana embraces the unexpected qualities of the monotype, allowing material resistance, imperfections, and unpredictable transformations to become essential elements of the image. New imagery becomes embedded in surfaces that already carry the memory of their previous lives.

Throughout the masterclass, participants will encounter different techniques, methods, and artistic approaches through which Ana investigates traces, repetition, and material transformation, gaining insight into the relationship between her conceptual research and practical processes.

In Ana's work, paper becomes both a record and an active participant in the creative process. The printing matrix carries the evidence of its own physical decay, while broken fibers, pressure, and repeated interventions generate new images. Each transformation leaves an indelible trace, turning paper into a living document of time, presence, and change.