Curatorial Context

About the Curator

Despina Tunberg is an award-winning artist, curator, and a prominent figure in the international art community. As the founder of World Wide Art Books and the lead curator for Artavita, she has spent over 25 years chronicling the evolution of contemporary art through prestigious publications such as International Contemporary Masters and Important World Artists. Formerly a gallery owner in both Greece and California, she has curated large-scale exhibitions and international art festivals across the globe, including major showcases at Artexpo New York, Red Dot Miami, and Art Santa Fe. Her expertise lies in identifying noteworthy original voices and technical mastery within the 21st-century global art landscape.

Margueritte Tonbazian’s work is currently undergoing a decisive and highly focused transformation—one that defines the core of her artistic identity. While her earlier practice was rooted in abstraction, her current direction moves with clarity into what can be understood as Futuristic Surrealism. This shift is not a departure from her foundations, but a refinement of them, where abstraction becomes the atmospheric ground for a more complex narrative: the evolving dialogue between human consciousness and non-human intelligence.

At the center of this transition is a distinctly contemporary inquiry aligned with the 2026 zeitgeist, yet not driven by trend. Tonbazian’s work positions itself as a singular and highly specialized niche, developed through an intersection of physics, trigonometry, and material research. Her concept of Shared Cognition—informed in part by the scientific and philosophical implications of the Artemis project—forms the conceptual backbone of her practice. This is not illustrative storytelling; it is a constructed visual language that attempts to bridge perceptual and intellectual domains.

In The Observer and the Cosmos, this direction becomes fully articulated. The composition presents a subtle but powerful figurative presence—the human observer—situated within a vast, atmospheric field that suggests the unknown. The presence of the “Other” is not explicitly depicted, yet it is felt. The tension between these two states—human awareness and non-human intelligence—creates the narrative core of the work. The painting operates as a threshold, where perception shifts from observation to participation.

Material plays a critical role in supporting this conceptual structure. Tonbazian’s studio practice is defined by a high level of material specificity, where each work is constructed through a unique chemical and compositional approach rather than a repeated formula. In The Observer and the Cosmos, this is particularly evident:

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The atmospheric field is built through complex glazing, using multiple semi-transparent blue tones integrated with cold wax. This creates a sense of depth and suspension, as if the surface itself is holding space rather than describing it.

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The structural elements, including the glass table, are grounded through the use of marble dust, introducing a tactile density that anchors the composition physically.

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Embedded within the surface are passages of iridescent and oxide paints, functioning as a form of “secret geometry”—a mapping of underlying mathematical relationships that connect the human figure to the larger cosmic field.

This layered material approach is not decorative; it is integral to the meaning of the work. Each element—chemical, visual, and structural—participates in the same conceptual system.

Visually, the paintings maintain a balance between control and dissolution. Forms emerge and recede, edges blur, and space appears to expand beyond the limits of the canvas. In works where cooler tones dominate—diffused blues, silvers, and greys—the sense of suspension becomes more pronounced. The viewer is no longer positioned outside the image, but within it, navigating a field that feels both physical and immaterial.

What distinguishes Tonbazian’s current practice is the presence of a clear conceptual anchor combined with technical precision. This is not abstraction for its own sake, nor is it narrative in a traditional sense. It is a hybrid language—one that integrates scientific inquiry, material experimentation, and perceptual experience into a unified framework.

Importantly, this direction positions her work as pioneering rather than derivative. The integration of physics-based concepts, mathematical structures, and individualized material processes establishes a practice that is both intellectually rigorous and materially grounded. It reflects a sustained studio investigation rather than alignment with broader stylistic trends.

From a professional standpoint, this places Tonbazian in a strong position for interdisciplinary and research-driven residencies, particularly institutions such as the Banff Centre, ArtSci Salon at the University of Toronto, and KIAC, where dialogue between art, science, and philosophy is actively supported.

Ultimately, Margueritte Tonbazian’s work is defining a space where Futuristic Surrealism becomes a vehicle for exploring shared consciousness across human and non-human realms. Her paintings do not describe this relationship—they construct it. Through a precise balance of material, concept, and visual language, she creates works that function as experiential environments, inviting the viewer into a dialogue that extends beyond the visible.

This is where the strength of her evolving practice lies: in its ability to articulate a distinct and forward-looking artistic position—one that is both conceptually grounded and materially sophisticated, with a clear trajectory toward higher-level institutional and gallery contexts.

Despina Tunberg

Curator

World Wide Art Books and Artavita

Wwab.us and artavita.com