About
My name is Konstantinos Kakolyris (b. 2002). I studied Social Work at the University of West Attica (2020 - 24). I am currently living and working in Athens, while pursuing my master's degree in "Applied-Clinical Sociology and Arts" at the Department of Visual and Applied Arts of the University of Western Macedonia, in collaboration with the Sociology Department of University of the Aegean.
Apart from my university studies, I have also been interested in painting from a very young age. Nevertheless, I painted on canvas for the first time at the age of eighteen, during the lockdown. Since then I have remained committed to the field of art - including my usual long breaks along the way - trying to find my own path through my body of work, taking part in exhibitions and focusing on my personal artistic endeavors.
Artist statement
Disturbed by the fast pace of the city, I do not find much inspiration in my broader social environment, let alone social interactions and socio-political issues. However, that does not mean that I will not address them when something bothers me. Depicting the world in a different way is not what I aim for. However, the creation of a new world, without the restriction of rules, driven solely by curiosity, is closer to what I am trying to express.
Exploration of the unknown is a central theme in my work. Often, I translate this sense of the unknown into a landscape or an object that seems to exist somewhere in the unconscious part of my mind. "Amorphous masses and raw material" are how I describe some of the shapes I choose to leave in the final result. These are usually adorned with a neutral color palette. Through the shaping of the paste and other elements that make the canvas surface raised and rich in texture, my main goal is for the canvas to become interactive. Simply put, I want the work to communicate with the viewer. The choice of unusual materials placed in most of my paintings shows my eagerness to experiment with different means of expression. The hasty flicks of the brush reveal the emotional fluctuations I had while creating the works. There are quite a few times when I either remove or leave certain parts of my works unfinished, as it relieves me from the thought that I have to make them so perfect that I will be satisfied with them - and with myself. Disorganization and hyperactivity go hand in hand in terms of the way I work. I describe painting as a complex and stressful process. However, this does not mean that I do not feel free when I paint.
The result is never completely pre-planned, imprinted from my imagination onto the blank canvas. There is an initial attempt to depict a very general theme, but once the thought takes perfect form, I intentionally change the course of the work. Often, even the entire theme. This happens because I do not see the point in creating something where I already know how it will take shape. A primary motivation for my work is the birth of a piece that even I could not have imagined. Therefore, walking on the edge of the known and the unknown, experimentation, risk, and boldness are some of the words that describe my work. Through art, I try to explore my mind and my inner world.