10 Questions with Fotini Christophillis

Fotini Christophillis is a painter who recently returned from New York, NY, to Greenville, SC. She has an MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University 2016 and a BA in Studio Art and Arts Management from the College of Charleston 2008. She received two Arts Grants from the City of Charleston Cultural Affairs Office to present group exhibitions, including an exhibition as part of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. She has exhibited her work nationally in galleries in cities such as NYC, San Diego, and St. Louis, as well as the Redux Contemporary Art Center and the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in Charleston, SC, and at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

www.fotinichristophillis.com | @fotinistudio

ARTIST STATEMENT

“I explore the presence and absence of figurative suggestions, eliminating specific details in order to express a dream-like snapshot from my subconscious, a kind of cinematographic film still that’s neither “here nor there”. This “in-between” space is where I currently am in these times of the pandemic, I want to see the streets alive and bustling, but there is an eeriness in the absence of people, a spaciousness with open streets, empty tables, doors wide open, but no one walking through them. This paradox drives me. I seek to reconcile both ends of the spectrum in my work, juxtaposing bands of color with plays of light and shadow, precise hard edges, geometric forms, and improvisational and fresh brushwork that is both turbulent and free as well as controlled and sustained. Essentially, the paintings are a reflection of my current experience as I seek to understand where I am, where I am going, and how I relate to this place where I find myself in these strange times.” - Fotini Christophillis

INTERVIEW

Tell us a little more about your background. How did you start making art?

I started painting when I was young and was influenced by my grandfather, who was a talented painter. He would give me paint and brushes and show me his techniques of painting. However, I also had a background in music and dance, playing the piano and starting off my academic career as a dancer in a BFA program at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York City. I then decided to pursue an Arts Management degree and transferred to the College of Charleston. I studied abroad with the Classics Department in Greece and found myself drawing at ancient sites throughout this trip. This experience inspired me to pursue a Studio Art degree, and I began my formal training as a visual artist and have been painting ever since. I feel that my background in dance and my interest in history and classics inform my work as a painter and my identity as an artist.

How would you define yourself as an artist?

I am a painter working primarily in oils, watercolor, and gouache. Drawing is also important in my process, and I have a regular studio practice of drawing from direct observation. My subconscious drives me, and my process is rooted in the sensuality of painting and the physical experience of discovery through the action of painting. I always seek to explore color and the language of mark-making and find this to be a necessary means of communicating my feelings, thoughts, and identity. I am driven by new ways of invention within the medium of painting to continue exploring and pushing further, both conceptually and formally, within this realm.

What is your favorite part of your work and what do you enjoy the most about being an artist? 

My favorite part is when I am in the action of creating, transcending thinking, and am fully present in the moment and in my body. There is a kind of "divine speed" in this place, where decisions are made instinctively, and I find a sense of wholeness emerges from the process. Phillip Guston said, "It's a long, long process for a few moments of innocence." This place of presence and instinctive action are "these moments of innocence," which is when I feel fully alive and authentic, allowing the imagery from my subconscious to emerge, experiencing a "sense of new life". I feel joy in these moments and also joy in connecting the work with an audience.

Your recent works reflect on the pandemic's effects, depicting the "eeriness in the absence of people." How much did your work change over the last year? And what is the most significant influence the past year's experience had on your artistic practice?

Yes, it was hard to avoid reflecting on the effects of the pandemic. I have so many ideas, and there are many possible ways of responding to this. On the one end, I began to explore color in a new way. My palette reflected a sense of vividness and ebullience. Exploring color in this way has allowed me to work through the effects of the pandemic, as the joy I find in this exploration allows me to stay positive and creative. However, at the same time, I reflect honestly on the "eeriness in the absence of people". I think of Edward Hopper's paintings and the solitude, the cinematographic film stills. There is a paradox here, a sense of being neither "here nor there". As I want to see the streets alive and bustling, I want the vibrant life and connection to others, but yet there is an "eeriness in the absence of people", a spaciousness in the open streets and empty tables.

I seek to create the worlds that I want to see, to project myself into those spaces, finding joy in the color rhythms and light, yet also something I can't fully grasp with the absence of people, the absence of real connections and experiences that aren't made, that aren't lived. This is a very strange experience, and I find painting is my way through this paradox. Also, I am finding a connection between the sensuality of oil painting and the physicality of this material. In the absence of people, the process of oil painting is helping me stay alive and present in what has become a very virtual and surreal experience.

A significant influence this past year has had on my work has been a kind of "openness", a spaciousness that has allowed me to explore color and imagery in a fresh new way. This "stillness" has given me more space to clarify imagery and a new sense of self in color.

Your series "Signposts" is influenced by Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. How did you come up with this idea? 

I have always had an interest in ancient cultures and languages, and I wanted to experience making imagery without any representation. I wanted to understand the language of mark-making, understand how to invent abstract language, communicate feelings and ideas in a way that could be distilled, pure, and clear. So I began to look at Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, being fascinated by this language system existing before the modern-day alphabet. I began to think about the difference between communicating in a language based on sign and symbol, versus a language based on an alphabet with 26 letters. This question intrigued me, so I began to draw and paint ancient signs and symbols. I saw the paintings as a kind of gateway into another world, a "signpost" that had meaning into another way of communicating. They exist as portals into a way of communicating beyond a language of 26 letters, signs into other-worldly spaces, and feelings.

Where do you find inspiration for your work? Any particular artist that you particularly look up to?

I always find inspiration for my work in nature, light and color, the spaciousness in nature, and ways of connecting to these spaces. I gravitate towards the sun and seek to experience the sensuality of light and nature fully through my painting process. I also find inspiration in people and urban crossroads. The tension between my need for nature and light and the complexities and surprises of culture is a paradox that drives me. I need the tension and the friction as well as the spaciousness and the buoyant light, and this push and pull is where my work thrives.

I have recently been looking at Edward Hopper's work, and I am influenced by the cinematographic quality of his work. There is a kind of honesty in his reflections that I seek to embrace in my own work. I am drawn to the push and pull of narrative and geometry, the severity of light and the purity of architectural forms, as well as the tension with nature. I am also always inspired by the work of David Hockney. I admire the visual pleasure and wit in his work, a joy in color and form that is uniquely his own. He paints what he knows, what he sees, and what he loves in a personal way. Also, I love the invention of Shara Hughes' evocative landscapes. I feel they too are like portals into other-worldly spaces, and I am always drawn to how paint can achieve this kind of space, language, and mystery.

How do you differentiate yourself from other artists? What do you feel makes your work unique and truly your own?

I don't ever try to compare or contrast myself with other artists. I am never trying to "invent" myself as an artist, but rather I am trying to "realize" myself as an artist. I find painting is a necessity, so my goal is to realize this in a clear and personal way effectively. Focusing on the ideas that I need to communicate, realizing myself in an honest way, makes my work unique. My sensitivity to color and tonal values and the language of mark-making make my work unique and truly my own. I also always seek to embrace a sense of invention in painting. I experience a sense of expansiveness in this medium, as there is always something new to discover. There are always ideas emerging from my subconscious, like poems in my mind, that must come through in imagery. When allowing the flow of this painting process, this work is genuine and my own.

What obstacles do you face in making and exhibiting your work? And do you think that the shift to online presentations, exhibitions and art fairs has helped you in promoting your work? 

Currently, we are waiting in the world. But it is my intention to use this time as best I can to create work. And when the world opens up again and we can come together, I want to have work that is ready to show and to experience new possibilities of sharing work with a full and in-person audience. These times are challenging for everyone in different ways. I miss having conversations in-person, and the crossroads of people and activity can be rich for ideas and momentum. But at the same time, I find that there is space in these times that I value, opportunities that can be fertile times of growth in my work. Not connecting with other people about the work and not having a full and live audience feels like something vital is missing. Still, at the same time, this can be a rich incubation period, and my intention is to take this opportunity and find ways to connect on digital platforms as much as possible.

The shift to online presentations, exhibitions, and art fairs has helped me in promoting my work. I feel this shift can offer a kind of "decentralization" in the art world that can be valuable to artists all around the world. We can be anywhere in the world and do our work, and we can connect with anyone, anywhere in the world, and find opportunities that could not have existed otherwise. If we can take advantage of these opportunities, while at the same time being patient during the challenges, shifts, and losses, then we can find new places of growth. Flexibility and adaptability, as well as collective cooperation, become important, and this can be fertile terrain for artists as we transition our work in these times.

Now that we have more free time, did you find any positive change in the approach people have to art, compared to last year? Are people more open to discovering new artists? 

Yes, I do feel that there are positive changes to the approach people have to art compared to the past year. People are looking to art and artists to feel better, cope, ask questions, and reflect. I feel this is a very important time for artists, and there can be many opportunities in the space we have now. I think people are more open to discovering new artists as they want to have these conversations about moving forward, adapting, and transitioning in these times. Artists can be leaders and initiate new ideas and ways of working. I think people are looking for this; they want to dig into these new platforms and feel there are cultural resonances and connections. We are all looking for connections now, and artists can provide new possibilities.

And finally, any new project, collaboration, or exhibition you would like to share with us?

Yes, I am currently working on a solo virtual exhibition with Artios Gallery based in New York, NY, this August. The work reflects my experience during this year in the pandemic. It is an exploration of color and form and the imagery necessary for me to create, to move through these times, honestly reflecting and offering a record of my experience and my desire. I am also working on a book publication of these paintings in collaboration with a poet.