Artsted Catalogue 2022

#84
STELLA KAPEZANOU
Artsted Catalogue, 2023 Edition.
Stella Kapezanou is a visual artist based in Athens, Greece.
‘Even though my painting is in harmony with the figurative
practice, my main body of work does not focus on what
one would call realism. My artworks are defined by their
accuracy in the depiction of the composition, however, I
consciously disengage from these visual references. Although
I’m seeking the proximity in the representation of
each subject, my ultimate focus is devoted to the exploration
of the various formalistic and expressionistic possibilities
offered by the medium of painting. My works are
deliberately “structured” and “observed” in a distressed
atmosphere and I frequently return to familiar imagery
while at the same time, I attempt to raise concerns over
the conventions of the painted depiction and expand my
artistic boundaries. Ultimately, the canvas - using paint,
composition and meaning - becomes a stage where the
dominant element is the interpretation and understanding
of the human condition.
My paintings are juggling between abstraction and
realism and I invite the viewer to construct their own
story behind the setting. My intention is that the viewers
come across unfiltered images which allow them to
relate to the protagonists and experience the unpredictability
and irrationality of our daily choices. Looking
at my paintings sometimes feels like scrolling through
a social media feed. Highly stylized people, surrealistically
patterned backgrounds and scenes that in most
cases could never quite occur present the same allure
and playful style of advertising and branding.’
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