Interview
Markos Kampanis
Markos Kampanis, born in Athens, studied painting at St. Martin’s School of Art, in London where he lived until 1980.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I have been painting since childhood and I still have my first large “real” oil painting when I was 13 years old. I have never thought I would immerse myself in my life in anything different that art. I consider myself a realist with a great number of variations in style and technique, sometimes leading to abstract compositions.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“Although political and social issues affect me as they do all fellow artists, commenting on such issues does not form the core of my artistic practice. I have been politically active for a number of years in my youth but I have never left my art to be dominated my such issues, not even by my beliefs. I find more appropriate and aesthetically intriguing to let such kind of issues function in the background, to be implied rather than form the primary subject matter.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“I do both. Normally I have a certain idea for a group of works that I want to work on and after preparing myself, with drawings, quick sketches or whatever I start working and then it is improvisation that takes priority. Each work, each brush stroke creates ideas for the next step or even for the next work. I do not mind, I even like it, if this process leads my work away from the initial idea or starting point. Of course, this cannot be true for certain kind of art works- when working on large scale murals I cannot be as free as I would wish, improvisation is somehow reduced and following the initial drawing idea becomes more important.”
Are there any art world trends you are following?
“I do not think I follow some trend consciously. My artistic practice is characterized by an immense variety both in subject matter and in technique or materials used. I am conscious of the fact that I do not seek to create and serve a certain recognizable style. The worst thing that can happen to an artist is copying his own personal style only to create a “brand”. If something like that happens then it is welcome only if it comes upon naturally with no evident sign of enforcement.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“I use a great variety of materials and techniques depending on several aspects. I have been characterized as a “fetishist” of materials. Since I work in various projects ranging from large scale religious murals to tiny etchings or from paintings to small size book illustrations I have come to love oil or acrylic, charcoal and pastel, linocuts and etchings, traditional true fresco or silicate paints. At the same time, I do not hesitate to try my luck with computer generated images and digital printing. During 2012 and 2013 I created a series of 365 small size paintings, creating one work per day for the length of one year. There was no limitation regarding subject matter, technique or materials used, but only the “obligation” to complete one work for every single day..”
“My artistic practice is characterized by an immense variety both in subject matter and in technique or materials used.”
What does your art mean to you?
“I would say it means everything! It has been my life since childhood, but at the same time, it does not hinder me to be involved in other aspects of life! I am in love with nature keeping my self busy with cultivating land with olive trees and an orchard grove which is also providing an inspiration for my art at the same time. I am a lover of art history and exhibitions, which has led me to curate art shows and edit books. I try to be immersed in art with one form or another.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
“It is difficult to single out a specific artwork. However if I have to choose one, that would be “Tavros notes” a large scale work on paper in acrylics, charcoal, pastel and a lot of collage. It is based on a series of 36 drawings of derelict or abandoned industrial sites. The drawings have been manipulated or sometimes completely covered by thin transparent tissue paper, to form a single composition 120 x 270 cm. I particularly like this piece because it incorporates both straightforward drawing and gestural work with collage. The result is an almost abstract work that has been an inspiration for new work. This is important for me since I believe that new work comes from within, from the actual process of painting and less from ideas or subject matter.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“From past exhibitions I would single out the retrospective exhibition “Painting on Mount Athos, 1990-2009” held at the Byzantine Museum in Athens during 2010. The exhibition focused on all the work I had done during these years while visiting frequently the monastic society of Mount Athos in Greece. Very important is also the large retrospective exhibition held at the National Library of Greece, at the Stavros Niarchos foundation Cultural Center in Athens, “Works 1990-2020” that will end in a few weeks, on February 18, 2024. It is a show accompanied by a large, illustrated catalogue presenting most of my artistic activities since my student years.”
Website: markoskampanis.gr
