Childhood memories. Portal to a former self (2026) Original Mixed-media Painting by BAST

Some moments never truly fade from our memory. They remain within us as fragments of light, familiar scents, quiet summer afternoons, and joyful experiences that unexpectedly return throughout our lives. Childhood Memories is an original modular artwork that brings these precious fragments together, weaving them into one touching visual story.

Rather than telling a single narrative, the composition unfolds like a collection of cherished memories. Blooming gardens, winding rivers, charming country cottages, rain-kissed apple trees, playful ducklings, curious kittens, wildflowers, and peaceful summer landscapes appear as individual moments suspended in time. Each image captures a treasured piece of childhood, while together they form a warm mosaic of nostalgia.

At the very top of the composition, a young woman gently opens a tear in the sky, looking downward into the world below. She is not simply observing a landscape—she is looking through a portal into her own past. The opening in the clouds becomes a passage between two realities: the present self and the child she once was. Rather than separating time, the artwork allows both versions of life to exist simultaneously, suggesting that our memories never disappear; they remain quietly accessible, waiting to be rediscovered.

The originality of the artwork lies in its unconventional modular construction, where each individual painting functions as a fragment of memory, and together they create a larger emotional landscape. The geometric elements flowing through the composition resemble invisible pathways connecting different moments in life, as if memories travel across dimensions rather than through chronological time.

Two integrated mirrors become an essential part of the installation. One reflects the contemporary interior surrounding the artwork, while the other captures the viewer—or, in this case, the portrait of the woman herself—in real time. These reflections transform the composition into a living portal where past and present coexist. The painted childhood scenes remain unchanged, while reality continuously enters the artwork through reflection, making every viewing experience unique and reminding us that memory is always shaped by the present moment.

Childhood Memories explores nostalgia not as longing for what has been lost, but as an active dialogue between different versions of ourselves. It recalls carefree summers, grandparents' gardens, the scent of fresh apples after the rain, children's laughter, riverside adventures, blooming flowers, and the comforting feeling that happiness once lived in life's simplest moments. Even the small children's drawings incorporated into the composition symbolize imagination, freedom, and innocence—the language through which childhood first teaches us to see the world.

Its fresh palette of vibrant greens, romantic blues, delicate pinks, energetic oranges, soft whites, and warm earthy tones makes this artwork a striking focal point for a wide variety of interiors. It beautifully complements eclectic, Scandinavian, rustic, farmhouse, and nature-inspired spaces while also making a compelling statement in contemporary art galleries and private collections. More than a decorative object, the work becomes an interactive installation in which the viewer's own reflection completes the narrative, turning memory into a living experience rather than a distant recollection.

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About artist:

BAST creates artworks in a decorative style, likes to experiment with materials: mosaics, precious stones, glass, paints, texture, etc.

Irina became a laureate of the Recycling Art competition and presented her project at the large citywide festival ARTification.

The artist participated in 23 exhibitions in the USA, Canada, Russia, China and Europe.

In addition, Irina was awarded the diplomas "Best Works of 2016", "Best Works of 2019", a special diploma for creativity (International Association VATIKAM, France, Paris) and has a letter of thanks from the Luxembourg Art Prize.

The artist has publications in the following magazines: Bonart cultural (Spain), BONART Cultural, Girona (Spain), CONTEMPORAIN (France), Woman (Russia), Objectsmag (Rivista online indipendente, Italy), Poramoralarte (Spain), The News God (USA), GlamourBuff (USA).

Irina's artworks are kept in the collections of ArtMuse Contemporary Art Museum (Russia, St. Petersburg) and Art Recycling Museum (Russia, Kaluga), Ecological Museum MUMUKA (Russia, Kaliningrad).

Irina's paintings are in private collections in 28 countries

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Materials used:

Acrylic paints, mirrors, wooden and paper collage elements. Base - canvas on a stretcher.

Details:

• Mixed-media painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 190 x 210 x 7cm (unframed)
• Ready to hang
• Signed certificate of authenticity
• Style: Surrealistic
• Subject: Landscapes, sea and sky