Redefining how art is seen and experienced ™
N E W
Y O R K
* Artists always vary in the importance placed on communicating their own vision without question or limitation, and the emphasis and importance placed on the audience, and how it can and will relate to them. How do you feel when people interpret your artwork inversely, or is there one primary thing you hope to have the viewer experience? Very true indeed is that people view in my artworks different things and meanings even completely different subjects of what I intended to show .I do not mind at all ,I respect it and even like it .I also learn from what people see in my artworks .I think I create and I try to send a message but If people ask me what my painting or sculpture shows or represent I reply is what You see or what You want to see .My meaning of a symbol or pattern or face might be A ,but for you or him might be B .That's fine this is Art .Art is to be Free ,Travel and Dream . Art is to help you find your message your happiness ,your meaning and your passion .Christos is Passion !
* The creative approach is a very personal methodology, and every artist differs when it comes to their artistic process. How do you approach creation- can you elaborate on your working process?Sometimes I am trying to explain to my mind that should give me a break .It is tiring to think ,imagine ,dream and have new ideas all the time and at the same time. This is me, my DNA my character my mind,s oul and heart .I have always many things in my mind that I want to try in my work. I focus then on a certain idea and put aside the myriad of others and work on it passionately many hours .I get into the artwork painting or sculpture with all my energy and hide in it . Just some jazz background music and work till is finished .I sometimes use pencil to draw some part of the painting and sketch my overall idea on the canvas or wood .Surely this can change on the way depending on how I feel of the result . My eyes must like what I am doing and approve the final artwork .It must please myself and create a happy feeling.
THE ARTIST SPEAKS:Christos Eliades
* With each work, or as an artist as a whole, what do you wish to communicate to the audience, and how does this specifically effects the final work? Does this change with different works, or series, or does it remain the same with all of your creations? Mainly my art is colorful with a positive feeling .Though I battle symptoms of depression sometimes , still I paint colourful and happy art . Love the people of the Planet , Respect the Children , Save the Planet , Be Free , Be happy , Impossible happens ,Create Dream Travel ,all these is my slogan of my art .Naive ,simple and as I say Christos is Passion .
* In a wider context, why do you think art is imperative for the world, and why is it important for you personally as artist? Art is Life, Culture, Civilisation. Art is imperative because is the heart of the people of a country of the planet. In caves found of primitive era millions year past ,drawings on the walls of story telling of our ancestors life was evident . Art is the essence of our existence as is the basic source of our minds creativity . Art in all forms is the intellectual existence of humanity .For me is important because through art I Learn, I study, I become a better person .I learned to love my planet and be a citizen of the globe, be free and happy .I learned to survive through my art and when I was alone and down my art was always there for me .
* Which of your works stands out as a highlight, favorite, or significant point in your creative growth and development? And why was it most significant to you as an artist? My artworks are my children and when sold I am sad sometimes . I try to always choose good homes of them to be appreciated and loved .Is not how many I sell but is the quality of the location where they go .My " flying dragon warriors" of 2005 is one of my favorites as I liked the Oscar winning Chinese film that was the inspiration of my painting .The freedom of the flying warriors and their indomitable spirit is Christos spirit . "Goa" my wooden sculpture also is significant as I discovered how important hand woodworking is for me and how these sculptures represent life ,art and culture for Christos.
*What are the principle themes and focus of your work? I do not want to have a principle theme nor to focus on a specific project . I am very open minded in my art and as a character indomitable .A free spirit and a revolutionary . Do not tell me what to do and do not put any barriers in my freedom .This has caused me many problems in my troublesome and glamorous life .I can not do same or similar artworks . Not even on my solo exhibitions I can focus on a theme .It will be maybe some sort of influence but an Asia style sculpture will be at the same time together with an abstract of the COBRA era style .
*Your aesthetic; while routed in fundamental art historical themes, is also very distinctive. I’m very interested in are artist with a unique vision places themselves within the art context; which other art and artists they are inspired and influenced by. Within the evolution of your artistic journey, have you found a specific affinity to certain artists, and if so, why? When studying Economics in London I became friends with an American Photography student. I was fascinated by photography so much that I spend the next 15 years travelling the world to take photos . I loved film mechanical cameras and I loved to print them .I also fell in love with Asia, the colors the culture the people the temples the whole package .Therefore the aesthetic influence of my artistic life is Photography and Asia .I like the markets and how people work with their hands on handicrafts .The naïve and sometimes primitive way of work with limited materials and tools. This I try to put in use in my artworks . I do not like the perfect lines or finish .I like raw and imperfect finish as the real life of the people in the markets the soukhs or agora .I am the opposite of the perfection of the stainless steel lines and finish of Koons sculptures .I am woodworking with my hands on my sculptures with basic simple tools to create unperfect finish in beautiful colors and patterns that will touch your soul .