Natalia Zourabova was born in Moscow, Russia in 1975, and is currently based in Tel Aviv. She studied at the Russian Academy of Theater Art in Moscow and the University of Arts in Berlin.
Zourabova is primarily a figurative painter and paints from observation. In her work she recreates scenes she is intimately familiar with, like the streets of her Tel Aviv neighborhood, or home interiors.
Color is central in Zourabova’s work; her palette and the mood of her paintings range from naturalistic to absurd, and her paintings vary along the spectrum from realism to abstraction. Her education at the Russian Academy of Theater Art has a clear influence on Zourabova’s work. The scenes that she paints resemble sets, and the inhabitants - a cast of characters. Zourabova’s works are frequently performative in nature. When she paints from observation she is oftentimes in full view of her subjects, in a public space. Zourabova has also created several artworks to be installed in public spaces.
In 2011 Zourabova founded the New Barbizon artist collective along with four other painters. Together they have exhibited at such venues as The Tel Aviv Museum of Art; Ein Harod Museum, Israel; and Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien in Berlin, to name a few.
Zourabova is the recipient The Discount Bank Artistic Encouragement Award with The Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art (2019), Prize of the Minister of Immigration (“Alyia and Klita”); Yuri Stern, Israel; Israel Institute, Texas (2017); Asylum Art, USA (2015-2016); PRO HELVETIA, Switzerland (2000); and Kultur Axe, Austria (1999).