Sophia Papadopoulou
Society of the Spectacle
Solo Exhibition
From 16th of March till 16th April
Press Release
Sophia Papadopoulou belongs to a new generation of Greek artists.
“The collection of her works for her thesis entitled «Without…» which she presented in June was exceptional, exemplary, and like a breath of life in the visual arts, in the pretentious part of Documenta 14 at ASFA that was dominated by exuberance.
”Helen Zymaraki, 31/10/2017 EX_POSURE..
“Culture… is the sense of a world which hardly makes sense” Guy Debord “The Society of the Spectacle”, 183.
The exhibition “The Society of the Spectacle” is not only a collection of images, but a social relation among people, mediated by images. Through her work, Sophia Papadopoulou creates new narrations connected to memories, seeking the personal element and how it relates to the collective. The Artist has her own a gestural vocabulary in which each line and colour is infused with energy, spirituality and meaning. She creates created works that are simultaneously personal and mythological, allowing narrative, language, and inner visions to erupt from his intimate, abstract notations. Zoomorphic forms, metaphors, allegories, and demons surface from a timeless, inept narrative. These are monsters born of her own social identity. The heroes are transformed, recreated, and turn into personas deconstructed and revealed before the viewer. The suffering wounded body becomes the canvas which embodies all nightmares and transforms to holy and profane, familiar and unknown.
Form, past, present, one permeates the other. Simultaneously, the art work is open to interpretation and interaction with the viewer aiming to sensitize, provoke and reflect on.
Sophia Papadopoulou about her art:
‘’I would like to show the world today as an ant sees it and tomorrow as the moon see it”. Hannah Hoch
“Dadaism, its ideas, methods of expression had a great influence on my art. Dada was very interesting art movement- it was international, anarchistic, provocative, politically active and the same time apolitical. It rooted in avant-garde. I like the Dadaism concepts of the grotesque, the absurd, and the macabre. Dada and its influence on contemporary art is , without a doubt, very significant. It manifests itself in all too apparent in today’s collages, performances, installations and ready-mades. Dadaists found their ideal means of expression in the collage and explored all its possibilities.
In my art I often use collage. Collage can make everything possible. I prefer the creative challenge of working with the found newspapers, magazine and photo images. I cut up photographs that touch me emotionally and put them together, reconstructing them. This whole process contributes to my redemption and mental equilibrium.
The images of the microcosm and macrocosm expressed through the materials used and my techniques allow me to escape and wander in a fantasy world… I create compositions which act as narratives in a world without time or space and from where escape is impossible.
My series of digital collage “The Society of the Spectacle’’ was created under the influence of the book with the same name by Guy Debord.
“In societies where modern conditions of productions prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation.’’
“Society of the Spectacle”, Guy Debord
A series of digital collage paintings “The Society of the Spectacle’’ is not a collections of images, but a social relation among people, meditated by images. I effort to provoke thoughts ,to approach the mass culture through a satirical and sceptical determination to dismiss the wrongs that are happening around them. As said Alexander Rodchenko “We must remove the veil from our eyes” I took on the art establishment as a way of holding up a mirror to modern society.
In the series of mixed media paintings “Fairytale’’ and “Without” I try to touch the psychological aspect of human feelings and actions. I create my own language writing and technique, in which every line and every shade of colour have a certain meaning. I create new narrations connected to memories, analyse my personal life and how it appertains to the collective. Zoomorphic forms, metaphors, allegories, and demons surface from a timeless, inept narrative. These are monsters born of my own social identity. The heroes are transformed, recreated, and turn into personas deconstructed which are revealed before the viewer and exposed. The body suffers and becomes the canvas which embodies all nightmares as a suffering wounded body becoming holy and profane, familiar and unknown.
I create works that are simultaneously personal and mythological, allowing narrative, language, and inner visions to erupt from my intimate, abstract notations.
My abstract works inviting the viewer to a multi-reading process, deliberation and dispute. My abstract writing presents a modern creative proposal that reflects the trends of contemporary art.’’
Exhibition Society of the Spectacle by Sophia Papadopoulou
ARTWORKS AVAILABLE for SALE
Sophia Papadopoulou BIO
Sofia Papadopoulou was born in Athens, where she currently lives and works.
She is a graduate of the Athens School of Fine Arts. As part of her studies, she has attended various workshops, including Painting, Scenography, Photography, Mosaic & Sculpture. During her Bachelor studies, she participated in the Erasmus Student Exchange Program, spending a semester at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Barcelona. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions and is featured in private collections.
Past Shows of Sophia Papadopoulou
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 «Without» Athens School of Fine Arts
2008: «Symbols» SYN Gallery, Exarchia, Athens
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 “Water, Memory, Art”, Trii ArtHub, editor Manos Stefanidis
2018 “Nostimon Imar’’, Digital Museum, Neas Smirny
2018 “Rendez-vous in Samarkand”, Trii Art Hub, Editor Nikolena Kalaitzaki
2018 «Αξιος Εστί–Достойно быть» Museum-estate of Leo Tolstoy, Yasnaya Poliana , Russia
2017 “Graduetes of ASFA”, STOAart Korai
2017 ” The Greek Documents 2010-2017 ” Stoa of the book
2017 80 + 1 Years anos de ausencia LORCA, Depot Art Gallery, Editor: Konstantinos Vafeiadis
2017 Methexis, Depot Art Gallery, Editor: Konstantinos Vafiadis
2016 “Prevention through the art, 16 Fokionos Negri Editing: Konstantinos Vafiadis
2016 “STAND UP FOR”, The Loft, Athens Editor: Konstantinos Vafiadis
2015 «DIPOLA», Gallery of the Municipality of Athens Editor: Efthimis Lazogas
2012 «Thytis + Thima», Former Slaughterhouse of Taurus Editor: Giorgos Kazazis
2011 * etsi all together @ MCF, Michalis Kakoyannis Foundation
2011 «Picture & Logos», Markelos Tower, Aegina Editing: Eleni Zimaraki
2011 “The garment as the residence of the body”, Technopolis of the Municipality of Athens
2011 «Riza 10», Cultural Center of the Municipality of Athens «Melina» Editor: Lida Kazantzaki
Art Fairs
2019 Art Thethaloniki International Contemporary Fair, Karouzou Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland.
Publications of Sophia Papadopoulou
Cited in Publications
2018 “Άξιος Εστί-Достойно быть” catalog, published by MaLou Art Consulting
2017 80 + 1 Years anos de ausencia LORCA, article by Thetoc Team, published by The Toc
2017 “Graduates of ASFA”, Stoaart Korai, article published by “To Vima”
2017 “Graduetes of ASFA”, Stoaart Korai, article published by Athinorama.
2017 “Greek Documenta 2010-2017”, article published by camerastyleonline.wordpress.com
2017 ‘The body as a witness” article by Pier Marti, published by I AYGI (Η ΑΥΓΗ)
2017 ‘’Diploma of Arts of ASFA of Sophia Papadopoulou”article published by sixthstudio.wordpress.com
2016 “The visual artist Sophia Papadopoulou”, article published by itsonlyart.com
2016 “Prevention through the art” article by Georgios Kyrpigian,published by Artic
2011 “The garment as the residence of the body”article published by DASTA