Mitko Karakolev is a multidisciplinary artist who works across painting, moving image and writing. The human body and the domestic space are the main subjects of his work.
Primarily working in oil, Mitko creates his compositions intuitively by combining observational drawings with imaginary elements. His recent paintings draw inspiration from vintage queer publications and depict male figures in a state of undress within ambiguous interior settings. The faces of his subjects are usually fully or partially obscured whilst their bodies appear fluid and sensual, caught in motion by a voyeuristic gaze. By strategically cropping the figures Mitko hints at the tension between anonymity, confidence and desire in relation to the body, thus producing images which invite multiple interpretations.