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Gabriela Genčúrová (Bika), is a visual artist based in Slovakia. Her work blends surrealism with emotional symbolism and aesthetics of the digital age, often resulting in dreamlike scenes that feel both playful and slightly unsettling.
She frequently explores themes such as inner child, transformation, nostalgia, unfulfillment, identity, self-destruction, and quiet spirituality — using strange animal figures or distorted characters to express raw emotion in unexpected ways. Her visual language is intuitive, personal, and always open to multiple interpretations.
Throughout her practice, Gabriela has worked with various media, including drawing, sculpture, and animation, but currently focuses on airbrush painting. Her creative process is highly spontaneous — when an idea strikes, she acts on it immediately, driven by instinct, or risks losing it entirely. Rather than making literal statements, Gabriela’s works evoke feelings and invite reflection. She sees her art as a space where personal stories and shared generational experiences meet — a quiet mirror of the emotional complexity many people carry within.
Hi Gabriela! It’s a pleasure to sit down with you! First question that I always ask. How does a regular day look like for you in Slovakia?
Gabriela: Hi, it’s a pleasure for me as well to be part of this interview. You caught me at a very interesting phase of my life — my typical day looks like this: I get up in the morning, walk my dog while listening to a podcast at 1.5x speed to stay focused, then I usually have a creative burst in the morning where I brainstorm ideas. After that, I start painting, as mornings are when I create the best. Later, another walk in nature (sometimes in silence, sometimes again with a podcast), a little time for myself (or with my phone, haha), another walk, and I try to go to sleep early.
I’m curious, growing up, what kind of kid were you? What did you enjoy doing, and how did you spend your time?
Gabriela: As a child I didn’t really spend much time outside. Most of my childhood was spent indoors, creating different things and drawing. My mom always encouraged me to engage in creative activities. When I was around four, she taught me how to embroider, and later on how to crochet and knit. When I got access to the internet, I loved following various DIY tutorials. Everything I liked, I felt a strong need to recreate — whether it was a cartoon character or a toy I really wanted.
My mom recently reminded me of a story — when I was about seven, she sent one of my detailed drawings to a children’s art competition. But they didn’t believe a kid my age could have made it, so they refused to accept it and never even sent the drawing back. I remember feeling really discouraged after that, and since then, I never really wanted to participate in art contests again.
So when did you start painting, and when did you start taking being an artist seriously?
Gabriela: I remember when I was a child, and someone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say “a painter.” Paradoxically, I did every creative thing except painting at first. Later, when I was about 13, I got a set of paints for Christmas. They sat in a drawer for about a year before I finally tried painting something — and immediately realized this wasn’t just a temporary hobby.
I started posting my paintings on Instagram just for fun, and after some time, my first collector reached out to me (who still supports me today, and probably has no idea how much confidence he gave me back then). That’s when a career as an artist started to feel like a real possibility. After high school, I enrolled in an art university — my first experience with formal art education.
Last year was mentally tough for me, and I ended up leaving both my job and university to calm down and figure out my next steps. It wasn’t an easy decision — I kept wondering why others could manage everything and I felt stuck. But deep down, I knew I had to follow my own pace, even if it meant stepping into the unknown. Now, I’m creating more than ever before, and it brings me real joy. I don’t have a “backup plan” — I know I have this time and privilege to create, and I want to make the most of it.
You’ve experimented with many media, including sculpture and animation. What drew you to focus on airbrush painting, and how does it shape your expression differently from your past work?
Gabriela: After years of painting, I realized I needed to change mediums to push myself to think differently. Airbrush painting did exactly that — suddenly I was dealing with a technique I wasn’t skilled at, which forced me to let go of perfectionism.
Painting with an airbrush is like ordering from AliExpress — you never know what you’re going to get. The airbrush hates control and will spray the paint in the most inappropriate way at the worst possible moment. Since airbrushing involves layering translucent colors, it’s hard to cover up mistakes — so I have to figure out how to “rescue” them. As a result, my paintings often don’t turn out the way I imagined, but they carry much more individuality.
Do you ever return to older works or ideas that didn’t feel right at the time, but make more sense now?
Gabriela: Oh, absolutely! I love going through my old paintings and sketches when I need inspiration. It brings up really strong emotions in me — even if sometimes I cringe at my past work.
Your work often features strange animal figures and distorted characters. Who are they? And what’s the story behind them?
Gabriela: As an animal lover, it feels natural for me to express myself through animal characters. I see them as personal symbols and personifications of myself or certain archetypes. Every animal carries some universal symbolic meaning, but for me, it’s more about the personal emotions they evoke. These characters often serve as a kind of “lightness” in my work.
There’s a beautiful tension in your art — a mix of playfulness and discomfort. Is that something you actively pursue, or does it emerge naturally from your emotional state?
Gabriela: I think you captured it perfectly — it flows naturally from my emotional state and maybe also from my personality. I love playfulness, beautiful things, and childlike curiosity, which I try to preserve as much as I can. It brings me back to the times when I was a kid, creating just for joy. Just as I’m generally a cheerful, positive person, I also have an inclination toward depressive and anxious states. And those feelings of discomfort come out in my art. It’s like crying but telling a joke at the same time, haha.
You often explore the theme of the “inner child.” What is it about this theme that resonates with you? And what does it mean to you in your current life stage?
Gabriela: Building on what I mentioned before, my “little self” still lives inside me and I want to let it express itself freely. It fills me with joy and feels very healing. It’s a huge source of self-understanding. The only difference is that what I used to do naturally without overthinking, now I tend to overanalyze. I’m curious whether this is just a phase or something that will stay long-term in my work.
You mention concepts like “unfulfillment” and “self-destruction.” Why are they important for you to document? And how do you translate such heavy emotional states into visual language?
Gabriela: These are really personal themes, so I often choose to encode them into my paintings or mask them with humor and cute animals. Self-destruction, for example, is pretty openly depicted in my painting of a cat-snail drinking bleach — a symbol for self-sabotaging behavior. When it comes to feelings of unfulfillment, I struggle a lot with dissatisfaction — which manifests as constantly waiting for something or someone. I often express it through characters that look like they’re waiting. I also depicted it in my self-portrait as a pie chart.
Would you say creating art is a form of healing for you, or does it sometimes open up more emotional complexity?
Gabriela: It’s a huge form of healing and emotional ventilation for me. I believe that art has healing power not just for the creator but also for the viewers. That’s something I truly hope to achieve — to make people feel understood, connected, and relieved from the outside world’s pressures.
Is there a particular piece or series you’ve made that feels the most vulnerable to you?
Gabriela: There are several pieces tied to sensitive personal experiences, but my latest series of “Uncanny Animals” feels particularly psychological, and less about humor.
How do you think the aesthetics of the digital age affect the way we experience and create emotion in art today?
Gabriela: As someone whose art is heavily influenced by internet memes, I feel like my subconscious has learned to think in memes, haha. And I think many young creators experience the same. It’s simply a reflection of our time and I’m curious to see how it will evolve and what the next generations will create based on it.
You describe your art as a mirror of emotional complexity. Can you tell me about that?
Gabriela: My art has many layers for me. It’s not just sad or just happy. It’s a whole spectrum — and anyone can take from it what resonates with them.
Your process is described as spontaneous and instinctive. Can you walk me through your creative process from beginning to end result?
Gabriela: It all starts with a feeling or a “vibe” I want to capture. Sometimes I just randomly remember bouncy castles or playground slides, and feel super nostalgic. Other times I get inspired by a documentary about animals. Inspiration is literally everywhere — I just follow what pulls me most on a given day.
Since I try to paint somewhat realistically, references are important. My sketch often exists as a digital collage or a photo edit. Then I rush to paint because I know I’ll lose excitement fast. And the rest is a weird trance — my eyes are wide open, I make a giant mess around me, and usually, I don’t even know how I painted the piece. It takes me a while to return from hyperfocus back to normal. I wonder if anyone else experiences this because it feels so strange and fascinating at the same time.
How do you approach color?
Gabriela: Mixing colors for airbrushing is very different than mixing them on the palette — it’s more liquid and often unpredictable. So a lot of my color choices happen by accident, and that’s what I love about it.
Last year you did a collaboration with Odlyworkshop. What was that experience like, and how did that come about?
Gabriela: I remember getting an email one day. At first, I thought it was just another scam, but after reading it, my only thought was, ‘this is too good to be real.’ It honestly felt like a dream come true—one I never even dared to dream. I love fashion, but I never imagined that my paintings could become part of such cool clothing. It was an amazing experience and a huge opportunity for me.
In a parallel universe who would you be and what would you be doing?
Gabriela: I often think about this, and honestly, I can’t imagine doing anything else. But if I could try something, I’d want to be a dog — just chilling all day long, running around, and getting belly rubs all day. Sounds pretty ideal.
Can you tell me a story about a time when a connection with someone had a big impact on you?
Gabriela: It’s hard to name just one connection. I feel like every person I meet sends me on a different life trajectory. Maybe it sounds exaggerated, but even small things someone says can change a lot.
What qualities do you find most important in the people you choose to spend time with?
Gabriela: People with whom we mutually enrich each other — and who are a little weird.
What motivates you?
Gabriela: I’m motivated by the desire to never again experience the heavy mental states I’ve been through — and I’ll do everything I can to stay happy and fulfilled.
How would you describe a perfect day?
Gabriela: My regular day — but without anxiety — and living by the sea.
What’s your favorite movie(s) and why?
Gabriela: As someone who can cry even at commercials, I try not to watch too many movies, haha. But I really loved Dune 2 — and maybe Timothée Chalamet had something to do with it. (No shame.)
What song(s) are you currently listening to the most right now?
Gabriela: Honestly, I barely listen to music these days. Indie rock and hip-hop when I remember music exists — that’s my genre for sure.