Artist statement
My work is inspired by human nature and human relationships. I explore themes of love, connection, loneliness, and existence.
The figures in my paintings emerge through successive layers of acrylics, oils, oil pastels, pencils, and ink. My ghostly palette consists mainly of browns, blues, and greens in a range of shades, predominantly in darker tonalities that create a mysterious atmosphere. The bodies are simplified and appear either alone or in an embrace. The embrace, a recurring motif in my work, functions as a symbol of connection and love.
Facial expressions play a crucial role in my compositions. Most of the time, the figures have their eyes closed and wear large, ironic smiles. They seem to be looking inward, searching for themselves. Their smiles reflect my belief that life is both a drama and a comedy. Through my painting process, the images gradually reveal a reality that feels deeply familiar to me, one that emerges from my unconscious.
My sculptural figures are made from recycled waste materials such as plastic bags, bubble wrap, plastic bottles, and other everyday objects. My process involves wrapping these materials together, shaping them into form, covering them with rice paper, and finally painting their surfaces. In sculpture, I maintain the same visual language as in my paintings and explore similar themes.
I also create installations using these figures, influenced by contemporary social changes. The sculptures function like actors, as if the installation were a silent play frozen in time and space. Through this approach, I feel that I capture a moment in time in which a small fragment of humanity’s truth becomes visible to me—like a secret that can only be heard in complete silence.
Varvara Liakounakou
