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Interview & Text: Paris Kapralos
Field Photos: Eleni Tzotzi
When did you realize you want to be an
artist?
I used to paint in my childhood, as most children do. I was participating in several exhibitions organized for kids. I remember, once I draw my parents, and, my father, who is a sculptor, liked it so much, that he recommended me to choose a profession of an artist. All this influenced me to enter the academy of fine arts.
I used to paint in my childhood, as most children do. I was participating in several exhibitions organized for kids. I remember, once I draw my parents, and, my father, who is a sculptor, liked it so much, that he recommended me to choose a profession of an artist. All this influenced me to enter the academy of fine arts.
I have found out in your CV that you
practically have sampled almost any kind of visual and applied arts.
I read about graphic design, painting, sculpture -of course- but also
curating exhibitions, decoration, and illustrating of books; have you
concluded to focus in a single form of art or you rather continue in
a more multi-facet approach?
I think the experience I gained while
working in many visual or applied art, will help me in different
stages of life in future. I consider sculpture and graphic design to
be my main professions, where I am going to become more and more
professional.
What is the material you are focusing
on in sculpture? What properties of the material is that you
appreciate most?
I would like to experiment in different material. This period I work on stone and I enjoy the language and
the energy of this material.
People tend to think marble/stone
sculpture as a rather hard work anyway, especially for a woman.
Taking apart the obvious sexism in these views, does contemporary
marble sculpture need a really excellent physical condition? Is it /
can it be a dangerous practice?
It is considered as a rare profession
for woman, but nowadays more and more women are becoming sculptors.
When I entered the academy of fine arts, we were three girls in one
group of sculpture and this quantity was like a new record for the
academy. Our profession covers both intellectual and physical
participation and it is no so easy, but nowadays we have many
new tools and physical work is becoming not so hard. In old
times sculptors used to work manually.
So, how do you actually work? You use
preparatory drawings, draw directly onto the volume, something else,
use models, something else?
I use to draw concepts for sculptures,
but when I find a material, for example stone, the details sometimes
change and I begin to adjust stone to my idea. Of course the main
concept doesn't change.
What are the main concepts / contexts
your art discusses/falls into? Does this context change in account to
what media you are using?
The ideas are coming while working as
well, it is interesting to improvise. Nowadays I am experimenting and
I am gaining new and new ideas from my working process.
Do you think there are things to be
gained by your contact with other artists? How about your experience
in sculpture symposiums...
I think that's the most intriguing part of
being a contemporary sculptor in marble....
It is important and interesting to
share art with the sculptors from the different countries. You get
more information what is going on in the contemporary sculpture
worldwide and even enjoy your colleagues company. It is great that
international symposiums give you this opportunity.
Do you think the role of sculpture in
public places is important?
Public art is a dialogue between public and art. I find the role of public sculpture quite important.
Public art is a dialogue between public and art. I find the role of public sculpture quite important.
How familiar are the people of your
country with sculpture? Do they welcome the contemporary forms of
sculpture? What is the degree that the tradition of your country
influences your work?
The contemporary sculpture in my
country is developing step by step, slowly, because of the
geopolitical problems. Most of Georgian contemporary sculptors work
abroad. Regards to my art, I try to give new values and modern
thinking to my work.
What would be your advice to a teenager
who would tell you he/she wants to be a sculptor?
I would tell people interested to
choose this profession, that the sculpture demands dedication and
efforts, but it is a nice feeling, that you create something that it
might last longer than you.
