Irina Taneva Iri IR is an internationally renowned Fine Art painter and teacher, a designer and painting parties host. Born and educated in Bulgaria and now living and working in London. Her deep interest in people and their self-awareness reflect in her art through paintings and clothing designs. Sensual, delicate and emotional female nature is at the base of her art and designs.
The artist’s favorite technique is oil on canvas because of the slow drying process allowing for intricate layers of paint that mirror the complexity of our feelings, emotions and reactions.
Harmonious colours are the basis of her works. Irina’s paintings are bold, colourful and textured as she uses more often the palette knifes than brushes. Her works are collectable and can be found worldwide in private collections and museums.
Irina creates a series of works at any one time, which she sometimes uses first as fashion sketches and then releases them into her clothing fashion designs. Comfort is the most important thing in her clothing no matter the occasion.
In 2012 Irina opened her first Fashion Shop and the very first Art Gallery in her home city of Petrich, Bulgaria. She created a small limited collections. Irina was also dressing many famous people for different occasions. In her gallery visitors could enjoy her art in fine paintings as well as art from different local artists.
Iri IR influenced many people to follow in her footsteps and continues to do this through her other passion of teaching children and adults the mastery of art. Whether designing for her eponymous fashion line or private customers, creating colourful paintings, tutoring young people in art and fashion, Irina attracts an international audience to her vibrant world of creativity.
Education
2016 Fashion Design and Marketing Course, UAL, London
2011 Master’s Degree in Art, National Academy of Art, Sofia
2007 Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Arts and Fashion, SWU “N. Rilsky”, Bulgaria
2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Pedagogy of Teaching Fine Arts, SWU “N. Rilsky”, Bulgaria
Solo Exhibitions
2022 “Dancing Tulips”, oil on canvas, Cass Art Space, London
2017 “Aquarius”, oil on canvas, “Sofia” Galley, BCI London
2012 “Abstractionism and realism”, oil on canvas, Gallery “iRi.F”
2008 “Colours”, oil on canvas, City Historical Museum, Petrich
Solo Fashion shows
2017 “Aquarius” AW17, “Sofia” Gallery, BCI London
2013 “Rock Fashion”, Fashion ARTelier “iRi.F”
2012 “Fashion street show” with special performance by singer song-writer Honn Kong
2012 “Romance”, Fashion ARTelier “iRi.F”
Awards and Competitions
2010 Triumph Inspiration Award, Lingerie theme – “Shape Sensation”, model titled: “Natural disaster”
2010 International Fashion Forum Ruse, Special prize contest for young designers – knitwear collection “Winter sports” https://vimeo.com/12180482
2007 Euro Art – International Arts Festival, First prize, collection “Cubism”
2006 Euro Art – International Art Festival, First prize, collection made from unconventional materials
2004 Euro Art – International Art Festival, Catalog “Thessaloniki, Greece – Kovatchevitza, Bulgaria”
Exhibitions and Fashion shows
2024 Exhibition with Prodan Tanev, The Winning Gallery, London
2024 Art House Galleries, Bentall, Kingston
2024 OSO Gallery, Barnes, London
2023 Cass Art, Kingston, London
2022 Cass Art, Kingston, London
2022 OSO Gallery, Barnes, London
2018 Talented Art Fair, London
2017 Parallax Art Fair, London
2011 “Steps from the east” – Performance in fashion drawings and fashion show “Woman – gentle warrior”, State Institute for Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sofia
2010 “Nostalgia in rust colour”, National Ethnographic Museum, Sofia
2010 Chairman of the jury “Tzvetniza”, Petrich, Art competition
2010 Exhibition, Makedonia Art Gallery, Blagoevgrad
2009 Multimedia, Academia Gallery, Sofia
Lecturing and Talks
For enquiries regarding lecture booking please e-mail lecture@irinataneva.com or fill in this form.
