Interview
Stavros Paneras
Stavros Paneras is a Greek contemporary artist born in Kallithea, Athens in 1989.
He has participated in several group exhibitions, symposiums and competitions with distinctions in Athens, Thessaloniki, London and the Czech Republic.
His works belong to private collections, NGOs, public bodies and cultural associations.
Paneras has also attended the Engraving and the Scenography department. He lives and works in his new studio in Vyronas, Attica.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I have studied Political and Economic Sciences, with a master's degree in Civil Protection, Crisis and Disaster from the University of Athens, but I always enjoyed the feeling I had when I looked at art. So I took some time to experiment with different styles of art, and finally came up with what I liked best. After studying Fine Arts, I tried to harmoniously integrate my pre-existing background with the visual language I was trying to communicate.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“The content of my work comes to me through the stimuli I receive from the society in which I live. My artwork aims to raise awareness about the human factor in the natural world and climate change.”
Which current art world trends are you following?
“The return to the process of construction by hand with natural materials, far from the manufactured process of companies and machines, without deep meaning and a sense of randomness.”
“Experimenting with the balance of light that penetrates transparent and translucent surfaces, I try to introduce the sense of time into the natural landscape.”
What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork?
“I usually use material that best serves the message I want to convey to the public. For any additional material I include in my work, it must be accompanied by the intended purpose. Then I modify these objects into a sculpture art installation concept. After this, I usually visit the sites of natural disasters created by climate change to get in direct contact with the place and pulse of the disaster, followed by research, design and collecting of raw material objects to shape my work on a bridge in which I aim to connect the history of art with social reflection and a call for action.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“Before I come up with a final and complete work of art, I always research, study and pre-design my work. However, I know that during the execution of my artworks, several unpredictable elements emerge which I try to utilize by incorporating them into my artwork in a balanced way during the construction phase.”
What does your art mean to you?
“It means a feeling of deep satisfaction, which is gained through the personal achievement of creating an art installation where everyone will be able to have their own personal experience.”
What is your favorite artwork and why?
“Kounellis’ II sarcofago degli sposi and Untitled (sails). These works gave me the impetus to take the reality I see, and using my artistic ideas, to create something original.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I am happy every time I can exhibit my work to the public - each exhibition is its own remarkable experience.
One exhibition that stands out was in the summer of 2021 during my residence at the Lake Plastira, under the guidance and supervision of my mentor and sculpture teacher at the School of Fine Arts, Mrs. Athanassiou Katerina.
In this particular exhibition, (moments of which can be seen in the included photos), I was called upon to manage a local natural disaster in a very short period of time, with flexible materials in order to activate the sensitivity of the local inhabitants.”
Instagram: @stav_pane
