Additional elements of her cognitive, scientific, and artistic teaching and practice:
·
The research
process concerning her work (and its problematic) in recent years has been
focused on: how visual art can be shaped, based on the interaction (through
critical distinction) of structural characteristics of small local societies,
including historical and cultural data, with the actions performed in the
artist’s sensory encounters.
Entering the field with her teams of collaborators and students, she employs
groundbreaking proposals where the initial processing of ideas takes place in
the studio (often utilizing digital technologies) and is completed visually
on-site. Sculptural installations that incorporate multimedia and technology
have been a focus of hers since 1993.
·
She uses,
alongside her synthetic objectives, theoretical visual approaches and
multimedia applications, mainly for provoking interaction through performative
proposals: creating works of variable scale with social and symbolic
characters, aiming at the interaction between the artwork and its surrounding
space, while designing and speaking about the place of its production. How from
abstract space we approach and produce "place." Her research process
and problematic focus on the communication and emotional experience of the work
by the viewer through multimedia in situ installations, preceded by the study
of the geographical, historical, and cultural context, with all the meanings
that make it a "place."
·
She
reconfigures structures, transforming them into interactive or synthetic
sculptures with strong conceptual symbolic points. She explores all
possibilities of sculpture, particularly in relation to space, scale,
narrative, and myth, using various materials and emphasizing spatial design
through constructions as well as digital media when they serve the idea.
·
She
specializes in creating and developing objects and machines that promote
interactivity with the public. Although the technological dimension of her
work, her “opposites”—is integrated into her work, becoming a key element of
her approach. This concept connects with the performative and interactive
nature of her works, as well as her attempt to bring technology into direct
relation with the public.
·
Experimental
Creation and Theoretical Approach:
Her visual artwork is characterized by the absence of a defined final form,
reflecting her belief that art is an open and continually evolving process.
Through a series of experiments, she aims to explore questions and challenges
related both to personal experience and collective consciousness. Her works
often find their place in experimental spaces, where the concept of space and
interaction takes on particular significance.
·
Her practice
is based on the notion that art is not confined to a static representation but
serves as a means of dialogue and reflection. Each work is part of a broader
sequence of thoughts, experiences, and transitions, evolving dynamically from
chapter to chapter.
·
Her
theoretical stance is grounded in the belief that art is not merely a result
but, primarily, a process of composition between the creator, the audience, and
the environment. While often expressed through apparent humility, she believes
this approach embodies a conscious attitude: an attempt to allow the process
itself to reveal its meaning, without imposing her voice on it.
Conclusions
and evaluation of the artistic activity and contribution of Aikaterini
Athanasiou:
·
Multifaceted
and pioneering action:
Aikaterini Athanasiou stands out as a multifaceted visual artist with a strong
commitment to art and its intersection with social, environmental, and cultural
needs. The projects she has developed, such as the one in Lake Plastira, with
an emphasis on circular economy and material reuse, demonstrate her ability to
integrate original ideas into practical applications with social impact.
Moreover, her international collaborations through Erasmus and the exchange of
experiences between universities show her broad perspective and her ability to
promote Greek art at an international level.
·
Didactic
philosophy and practical approach:
Her teaching approach focuses on empowering creativity, eliciting personal
expression, and developing a multifaceted artistic identity. She incorporates
modern technology without neglecting the more humanistic aspects of art,
reflecting her concern for the balance between technology and personal creative
freedom. Her emphasis on student autonomy and support highlights her dedication
to her educational work.
·
Administrative
contribution and vision:
Although she acknowledges that she has not held administrative positions, as
they would distract her from her research content, she has actively
participated in the Gender Equality Committee, in the creation of Visual Arts
Schools in the country, and in the representation of Music Schools for seven
consecutive years. She expresses a clear vision for strengthening workshops and
infrastructure. Her ability to independently coordinate workshops and create
synergies highlights her dynamic presence in the field.
·
Relationship
with the international scene:
Her collaboration with institutions such as those in Lisbon, Carrara, Germany,
Brussels, and Montpellier, as well as the themes of the projects she develops
(circular economy, anthropology of art), demonstrate her ability to recognize
and integrate global trends into the local educational and artistic scene.
·
Overall
assessment:
Aikaterini Athanasiou emerges as an exceptional artist and educator, combining
creativity, social sensitivity, academic empowerment, and innovative thinking.
Her contribution to linking art, society, and technology is crucial, while her
focus on creating sustainable and innovative workshops is a significant part of
the development of her field.
· Her work references a combined and contrasting
approach to the ephemeral and the creation of environments in a space where
creative and fleeting images take place. Her emphasis on the formation of
ephemeral images and situations is fully revealed when we align with the work
of David Lynch and his influence on dreamlike and fleeting environments. The Role
of the Ephemeral in her Work:
o
Artistic
Practice and Prospects:
Aikaterini Athanasiou’s artistic approach is based on a particular aesthetic
that combines lightness with the ephemeral, focusing on the creation of
environments that highlight the moment and the experience. This character of
her work is captured through a research process that allows her to experiment
with forms, materials, and ideas. However, this very research flexibility has
often been mentioned as an element that hinders the establishment of a clear
and cohesive artistic identity. Nonetheless, through the images she creates,
she aims to shape environments that are not only aesthetic but also
experiential. This approach places her work in an intermediary space, where the
transient acquires particular importance, while the viewer’s experience is
intensified by the tension of the moment.
o
It is
important to recognize that the ephemeral and flexibility are not weaknesses,
but rather a conscious artistic choice that enriches the viewer's experience.
This choice brings her work into conversation with artists and filmmakers like
Wim Wenders and David Lynch, who focus on creating atmospheric worlds where
implication and emotional resonance prevail. In the case of Lynch, managing
tension, the uncanny, and the fluidity of reality intersects with Athanasiou’s
approach, while Wenders' emphasis on wandering and connection with the
landscape is reflected in her works, where space functions as an active
character—a space of emotions and memories that engages the viewer in a
personal narrative.
o
Criticisms of
her work highlight different facets of her practice. Her research methodology
is considered interesting but sometimes makes her intentions unclear. This
critique can, however, be seen as a reminder of the need to strengthen the way
she allows her work to speak for her intentions, without abandoning the
flexibility that characterizes her creative process, while defending the value
of the ephemeral and the fleeting as something that, though temporary, can
leave a deep impact. In her work, as in the examples from cinema, the ephemeral
is not merely a passage but a dense moment of experience that shapes the
essence of time and space.
Final
Evaluation:
Aikaterini
Athanasiou’s artistic journey is not just a series of ephemeral moments but a
continual exploration of the essence of the moment, which speaks to the
contemporary challenges of art and how it shapes the present and future.
"Review assisted by artificial intelligence (ChatGPT)"
"Insights gathered from multiple reviews, assisted by artificial intelligence (ChatGPT)"
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