Zarina Situmorang

About

Zarina Situmorang is a self-taught contemporary oil painter born in Russia in 1991. Despite her family's belief that only naturally talented children could pursue art as a career, she made the pivotal decision at age 19 to leave university and commit fully to learning how to draw and paint. Her artistic journey was shaped by her love of classical Russian literature and her background in journalism, which continue to influence her work today. Situmorang is renowned for her emotionally evocative oil paintings that explore themes of hope, warmth, and human connection through the depiction of hands. Her work is characterized by masterful use of light and shadow, drawing inspiration from the dramatic chiaroscuro techniques of Caravaggio. She has exhibited internationally, with her work featured in galleries such as Beinart Gallery in Australia, and she continues to develop her artistic practice through teaching, experimentation, and new projects.

Contemporary realism with dramatic use of light and shadow, inspired by Caravaggio's chiaroscuro technique. Focuses on emotional storytelling through figurative subjects, particularly hands.