Hand Painted photographs 1980-90s

Black and white silver gelatin prints hand painted with oil. Gulnara began hand coloring her photographs in 1989 after seeing a visiting exhibition of work of Gilbert and George in Moscow. A different use for photography gave her permission to express what was hidden in her pictures as well as in social life. Hand painted with oil she leaves parts of her black and white photographs untouched as a “real life” of people, their problems, their relationship and adding color to show the “fantasy”. When she thinks her subjects are trying to say something she adds their thoughts in balloons. She makes no attempt to use color for any type of photo realism but uses in conjunction with the black and white image to finish the message she wishes to express.