25/05/2026
Curator's Pick Award - Finky Furkle "Gattah" (3000x3000 pixels 300dpi, digital painting, Serbia, 2026).
Dear Friends,
We are proud to congratulate Roma Ivanov (Finky Furkle) on winning the Curator’s Pick Award in the Digital Format category for his exceptional artwork Gattah.
Born from a fusion of classical inspiration and contemporary urban expression, Gattah reimagines Erasmo da Narni through a distinctly modern visual language. Inspired by the iconic sculptural representation created by Donatello, the artwork moves beyond historical portraiture and transforms the figure into a symbol of enduring power, identity, and cultural reinvention.
At first glance, the viewer encounters the familiar authority of a marble bust, but the composition quickly breaks away from tradition. Graffiti-like gestures, raw sketch lines, bold typography, glowing geometric overlays, and saturated color contrasts introduce the energy of the street into the rigidity of classical form. The result is a visual collision between Renaissance heritage and modern urban culture.
The painting speaks about how history survives through reinterpretation. Instead of preserving the past as something distant and untouchable, the artist pulls it into the present moment — alive, imperfect, expressive, and emotionally charged. The distorted textures and layered interventions reflect the rhythm of contemporary city life, while the sculptural figure remains grounded in timeless human presence.
As a Belgrade-based digital artist, muralist, and motion designer, Roma Ivanov continues to develop a distinctive artistic voice shaped by graffiti aesthetics, observations of people, and the pulse of urban environments. Gattah is a strong example of how digital art can preserve historical references while simultaneously challenging visual conventions.
This recognition celebrates not only technical excellence, but also originality, cultural dialogue, and fearless artistic experimentation.
Congratulations once again to Finky Furkle on this outstanding achievement and well-deserved award. 🎉👏
