Interview
Selin Liokoura
For Selin, art is not a choice - it is a way of being. Since childhood, painting has been her voice, and her way of understanding the world, and expressing what words could never fully capture. She is a special education teacher with 13 years of experience, and at the same time, an artist who has shaped her own creative path. Selin’s journey in painting has been self-taught, enriched by learning from other artists and attending preparatory courses for Fine Arts schools. This combination of structured learning and personal exploration has allowed her to develop a unique artistic voice. She is inspired by love, emotions, and imperfections. Her work does not seek perfection but truth - the raw, unfiltered essence of feeling. Selin uses mixed media and rich textures because she believes art should be felt, not just seen. She has held several solo exhibitions across Greece, as well as participated in group exhibitions. Her work has been showcased in galleries in Athens, particularly in Kifisia, as well as in international art spaces, with notable exhibitions in Paris and Brooklyn, New York. Selin’s art is a dialogue between herself and the viewer - a space where thoughts become color and silence takes form. She creates to evoke emotion, to leave a mark in a world that is constantly shifting. And with every piece, she is not just seeking an image - she is searching for a moment of truth.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My journey into painting began in childhood, like a natural extension of myself. It was always there, like an embrace filled with colors - a world where I could truly exist. When words are not enough, painting becomes my voice. It is my breath, the way I express what I feel without needing to speak. Every brushstroke is a piece of me - a thought, an emotion, a mark that never fades. The traces of art are different - they do not hurt, nor do they need healing. They are fragments of the soul that remain in time, proof that I existed, that I felt, that I loved. Painting is not just what I do. It is who I am.”
What inspires you?
“I am inspired by love - not just the love between two people, but the love for life itself, for art, for the fleeting moments that vanish and are reborn in color. I am inspired by fears because within them lie our deepest truths. I am inspired by joys because they are as fleeting and precious as drops of light. I am inspired by passions, by the unspoken, by the moments that burn, by the glances that speak louder than words. I am inspired by the love each person has for their own existence - the way they love, dream, fear, and keep going. I am inspired by reality, this raw and relentless society, the streets filled with untold stories, the loneliness of cities, the gaze of a passerby, the urgency of the mailman, the flickering light in a forgotten apartment. I am inspired by the world - not because it is perfect, but because it is beautifully imperfect. And that is where true art lives.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My artworks are my voice - the word I cannot say because it hurts, the thought that doesn’t fit into sentences, the emotion that overflows without asking for permission. I do not seek perfection, because perfection is a lie. The deepest message in my work lies within its imperfections; in the places where the color spills, where the texture grows rough, where the unexpected gives birth to something real. Within my art, there is harmony and serenity - gifts I wish to offer to those who observe. I do not give answers; I give images for others to find their own. My art is not a story I want to tell, but a mirror where each person can see their own truth.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is a conversation with emotion - a constant pursuit of love, not just as passion, but as movement, as color, as an endless transition from one feeling to another. There is no fixed form because thoughts have no form. My paintings are like waves, sometimes calm, sometimes fierce, but always honest. My art is a labyrinth where imperfections are the only true paths. The different textures, the multiple layers, the places where things break, merge, and leave space for emptiness - all exist to narrate the many faces of love, fear, longing, and release. If love had a texture, it would be the one I build in my work. If thought had a color, it would be the one that spills beyond the lines - where imperfection becomes truth. My painting does not seek to explain the world; it seeks to feel it. And like emotion, it is never singular, never the same. My art is not a poem written in words. It is a language that speaks in silences.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Here are four remarkable female painters, both from Greece and abroad, whose work resonates with me - not just because they are women, but because I can deeply connect with their artistic vision. Their perspectives, emotions, and the way they translate their inner worlds into art feel familiar, like a shared language of expression.
1. Bia Daskalaki – Greece A contemporary Greek painter who blends abstraction with raw emotion. Her work is defined by bold textures and dynamic colors, creating an inner world filled with movement and energy. I admire how her paintings feel like emotional landscapes - tangible yet deeply personal, much like my own approach to art.
2. Georgia O’Keeffe – USA One of the most iconic female painters of the 20th century. Her large-scale abstract flowers, desert landscapes, and strong compositions speak of her deep connection to nature and emotion. I love her artistic independence, the autonomy of her vision, and how she redefined female artistic expression in a way that was both powerful and unapologetic.
3. Frida Kahlo – Mexico A name known to many, but beyond her fame, her work is deeply personal and rich in symbolism. I admire her because she painted from pain, from her own story, without filters or idealizations. There is something raw and poetic in her paintings, a reminder that art is born from experience, suffering, and resilience.
4. Valérie Solanas – France A lesser-known but incredibly powerful artist, Solanas creates paintings that feel like emotional maps. Her work is based on the intensity of feeling, on the raw energy that colors can hold. I love her art because it speaks without words - it doesn’t need explanations, just like true emotion doesn’t.
Why I choose female artists: it’s not about excluding male painters, but about connection. As a female artist myself, I feel that I can perceive their artistic journeys differently. There is a silent understanding in the way they express their existence through art. Their work is not just seen - it is felt, deeply and viscerally, and that is what inspires me the most.”
“The marks of art are the only ones that do not need healing.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process is a space where I fully exist. It is my moment, my therapy, the place where my thoughts stop being chaotic and start taking shape. The morning always begins with a whirlwind of tangled thoughts - memories, worries, emotions, and images that have not yet found their way onto the canvas. I try to make sense of them, to organize them just enough to guide me into creating something that holds meaning for me. I light a cigarette, pause, think, and then continue. Creation is never a straight line; it’s a puzzle put together piece by piece, with pauses, doubts, and sudden bursts of energy. A glass of good wine often accompanies me - the taste, the way it lingers on my tongue, something that doesn’t exist in painting, yet I find ways to translate it through scent, through vision, through texture. Music is always present. Sometimes opera, with its dramatic intensity, other times something raw and powerful - rock that moves with my brushstrokes, or jazz that allows space for improvisation and unpredictability. Music, like art, is emotion, and it pulls me deeper into my process. And in this dance between pauses, breaths, flavors, and sounds, something takes form. A piece of me, captured in color and texture, a moment of truth left behind on the canvas.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The role of an artist in society is one of the most important. Art is not just decoration or a beautiful element in life; it is a voice, a protest, a truth. The artist acts as a mirror of their time, capturing what cannot be said with words, creating images that evoke emotions, thoughts, and even revolution. In Greece, being an artist is a constant challenge. Art is often seen as a luxury, and surviving in this field requires perseverance, passion, and immense inner strength. The difficulties are undeniable, yet hope persists. Hope lies in beauty, in aesthetics, in the human need to feel, to dream, and to find meaning through art. The artistic voice is essential. It speaks when others fall silent. It transforms pain into creation, the ugliness of reality into something that can inspire hope. No matter how difficult the circumstances, art will continue to exist - because it is a necessity, not a choice. And as society evolves, so will art - changing, adapting, and always finding a way to be heard.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have had the honor of showcasing my work in various exhibitions across different cities, with each experience adding new depth to my artistic journey. One of the most memorable moments was my exhibition in Paris, where my work found its place in an environment that deeply values artistic expression. In Greece, I have held several solo exhibitions in various cities, as well as participated in group exhibitions. Athens has been a key part of my artistic path, with exhibitions in galleries in Kifisia and other art spaces. Additionally, I have presented my work across different locations throughout the country, discovering how my art interacts with diverse environments and audiences. Beyond Europe, I had the opportunity to exhibit my work in Brooklyn, New York - an experience that connected me with an international audience and allowed me to see how my art resonates in different cultural landscapes. Every exhibition is a new dialogue, a fresh interaction with people and places, reinforcing my belief that art transcends borders and speaks a universal language.”
Instagram: @selin_liokoura
