Artist Ivan Pokidyshev has developed a unique artistic approach that makes the invisible visible, creating ethereal paintings inspired by thermography and infrared technology. His luminous artworks capture human warmth and emotion by rendering heat as an inner glow that emanates from his subjects, revealing the vital energy that connects all people.
Pokidyshev's innovative technique draws inspiration from thermography and Transmitted Infrared Photography (IRT), a scientific method that uses infrared light to uncover hidden structures and patterns beneath old paintings. By merging science and art, the artist explores the invisible forces of light and heat that bind humanity together. "I want to create my own visual poetry," Pokidyshev explains. "The poetry of love and hope—the poetry of light and warmth."
Launched in 2018, Pokidyshev's "Light and Warmth" project depicts human connection by visualizing thermal energy as radiant glows within his subjects. The artist describes this human heat as "vital energy overflowing from one figure to another, expansively splashing out, or, on the contrary, fading under the influence of emptiness and cold." Each painting captures different emotional states through the intensity and distribution of this inner light.
As his artistic practice evolved, Pokidyshev's focus shifted from merely contrasting physical warmth and cold to exploring light's expressive and symbolic power. He now views light not only as a visual element but as an emotional language capable of conveying deep human experiences. "I build my compositions around two opposing principles," the artist explains, "the glow that illuminates a person from within and the dark emptiness that surrounds them."
Pokidyshev's oil paintings showcase a remarkable range of human experiences through his thermographic lens. His works include images of newborns glowing with intense warmth, representing the pure life force at birth, and couples illuminated in vibrant reds and pinks captured in intimate moments before a kiss. Each piece radiates what the artist calls "the living energy of what it means to be human."
The paintings demonstrate Pokidyshev's mastery of color and light, using warm hues to represent emotional and physical heat while contrasting them against darker, cooler backgrounds that suggest isolation or emotional distance. This visual dichotomy creates powerful compositions that speak to universal human experiences of connection, love, loneliness, and hope.
Through his thermography-inspired artwork, Pokidyshev has created a new visual language that makes abstract concepts like human warmth, emotional energy, and interpersonal connection tangible and visible. His paintings serve as a reminder that despite external appearances, every person carries an inner light and warmth that connects them to the broader human experience.
