Crete: Artist- Chrysoula Skepetzi

   Whilst in Crete i visited an art gallery showing the works of  Chrysoula Skepetzi. I had never heard of this artist before however her work felt familiar. What first caught my eye in Skepetzi`s work was her use of bold colours. Bright colours really attract me, but i soon became more fascinated with the use of newspaper and shadows that looked so realistic. Each piece had shadows following the person which made me think about light again. Additionally, how she incorporates newspaper into the surroundings or shadows in a controlled manner was really interesting. Her painting style, using oil on canvas, distances the viewer from the crowd. No one is singled out as the focus; instead they lose their features making them unrecognisable. Skepetzi disregards tone, line and background. This is an interesting concept that i would like to try in my art, I enjoy drawing the body but do not like including the face as a recognisable person; i find it distracting unless the main focus is suppose to be solely on the face.

      Furthermore, the subjects within her paintings are completely unaware that they are being painted, as if Skepetzi is not there at all. It makes the surroundings in the paintings look more natural, like a world you can just step into unlike a photograph which has captured an old memory that you have already lived. This also made me think about acting. The most common style of theatre/TV show styles are when the actors do not interact with the audience or camera. This welcomes the viewer into the story to be able to watch it unfold and escape. Differently to when the audience are able to interact, it prevents them to be able to imagine themselves as a character as they must play them self to join in- unable to escape completely from their reality. Additionally, i think it makes the paintings more calming and interesting as you have to look at each individual to see what they are doing. Similar to sitting back and watching people pass a window as you relax.

   Skepetzi`s other work involved a colour pallet of red, white and black. Usually using red string to connect people. Her collages are very simplistic yet detailed. I especially liked the collection of small collages that all showed individual people, like families in their houses. They each depict a small part of society that are all incredibly different, however the use of the same colours indicates that everybody is the same and all our different ways of living and opinions are connected to one another. 

   Lastly, a small sculpture was included that helped me fully understand her work. Once again she created people with no features so they are able to represent any person in the world. Each figure was placed on the black squares of a chess board suggesting we are all on the same side of the battle and that we must work together as a team. Each figure was connected with a single red cotton string, suggesting how we are all connected in life.
 To me i can see this as how collectively humans are the ones destroying the planet, together we build a world suited for only our existence and the red string represents that connection in which we endanger the planet. However, i know from Skepetzi`s other work that she focuses on the use of the media and how that connects us and influences our society. Hence why in her other works the crowds walked on the newspaper as the media connects us all even if we are all strangers to one another.
 
    I really like how Skepetzi doesnt use line, tone and background in her work and would really like to try bring this style into some of my experiments. Furthermore, the use of mixed media and a basic colour pallet of red, black and white i would like to try and create something similar but in my own version as i experiment.