Olga Barmazi
Painter | Greece
Olga Barmazi is a painter, children’s book illustrator, graduate of the School of Fine and Decorative Arts of Katerina Rota and the School of Visual Jewelry Vortex. She is also a graduate of the Department of Political Science at the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holds a postgraduate degree from the Common Postgraduate Program in Creative Writing. Alongside her career as an artist, she has long worked as an editor/corrector and translator of texts for publishing houses in Athens. Since 1997, she has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Greece and abroad [Europe, USA, Japan, and Australia]. Her works have received awards in international competitions. Since 2009, she has been teaching painting in workshops for children and adults at the Art Warehouse AMKE, which she founded, and at the Kalogeropoulos Arts and Culture Foundation in Corinth. She has designed sets for theater and dance performances and has created series of visual jewelry exhibited in Greece and the USA. She has illustrated 6 children’s books, and her works are part of private collections. She collaborates with ARC – Art Revisited Collective since December 2023.
Statement
The image is my inherent way of perceiving the world, both material and immaterial. It’s the points- “words” that allow me to comprehend and interpret whatever captures my attention and interest, which is nearly everything. It’s my way of narrating the stories I wish to show and share. But apart from the mind that defines this tendency of mine, it’s primarily my hands that need to move on an empty surface, to write upon it. Painting satisfies both these parameters – mind and body. It’s my native place of birth. I’ve learned to yield to its demands and complexities, to its infinite forms, and thus, I serve it in various versions, techniques, and materials.
My deeper art perception led me to seek a “language” devoid of the weight and connotations of the depicted subject. This led me to create a series of works under the general title “Flows and Fragments.” These paintings on canvas, done in oil or acrylic, represent an evolution of works that I began twenty years ago with watercolors and Chinese ink on paper. If I were to classify these works, I would say that they follow a pattern of organic subtraction. They are characterized by two main elements:
(a) Fluid continuous or intertwining forms (flows) that signify the inseparable and intricate nature of a path, often lacking a predetermined beginning or known end.
(b) Dots (fragments) that denote the momentary, the discontinuous, the occasional, with varying degrees of impact on the flowing path from the unknown to the unknown.
As sets, these two elements reflect the sensations of my material and spiritual experiences throughout my life’s journey. I occasionally step away from working on this series to engage with other forms and ideas, but I always return to it as my most familiar place. Another beloved medium of mine is ink in all its forms, black or colored, which often evokes a playful, almost naive sentiment that nevertheless balances between play and the strict precision of design. I handle it narratively, like a kind of ideographic writing, or even gesturally, aiming to evoke images that were perhaps inscribed in memory subconsciously. If I were to interpret these images myself, I would say that I seek the harmony of individuality within collectiveness. Ultimately, I think this is what I seek in every type of work I create, whether representational or not.
AT A GLANCE
Genre: Painting
Medium: Watercolor, ink on paper, Collage, Oil on canvas
Style: Expressionism, biomorphic painting with intense use of color
Themes: Conceptual
Workshop: Kato Assos, Corinthia, Greece
Associations: None
Price Range: €200-€4000
International Scale:
EMERGING | HIGH-POTENTIAL | MID-CAREER | ESTABLISHED
RECENT ARTWORKS
CAREER LANDMARKS
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
“Greek Summer”, Art Exhibition, Stuttgart, Germany, 2018.
“Inner Vision”, Agora Gallery, Soho – New York City, USA, 2000.
“Painting”, Municipal Art Gallery of Mykonos, 1999.
“Painting”, Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens (as part of the 4th International Congress of the Euro-American Women’s Council), 1999.
COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITIONS
“Cundu luna vini”, featuring the participation of Sofia Liapopoulou and Eumorfia Eustathiou (students), Polychoros
“Full Moon”, Corinth, 2017.
“Painting”, with Kate Papanikolaou, Pierce College – American College of Greece, Agia Paraskevi, Attica, 2004.
“Painting”, with Kate Papanikolaou, Municipal Art Gallery of Mykonos, 2001.
“The Forest of Symbols”, with Kate Papanikolaou, Art Hall “Hermoupolis”, Syros, 2000.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
(selection)
“Watercolor 7 – Summer Resting Place”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“Art Inspires Art III – Pablo Picasso”, Pocket Star Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“The Visible and the Invisible”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Luminous Eye, Athens, 2023.
“Ink on Paper 8: The Script of Art”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Luminous Eye, Athens, 2023.
“Gesture and Symbolism”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Luminous Eye, Athens, 2023.
“Steps and Journeys”, as a guest artist with the ARC Revisited Collective, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“Ink on Paper 6”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“Color”, curated by Maria Rigatou-Ioakeimidi, MegArt Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“Ink on Paper 5”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“New Symbols 2”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“Watercolor 6 – Transitional Spaces”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“Watercolor 5 – Secret City”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Myro Gallery, Thessaloniki, 2022.
“Summer Stories”, curated by Maria Rigatou-Ioakeimidi, MegArt Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“The Face of Things”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“Ink on Paper 3”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Myro Gallery, Thessaloniki, 2022.
“Five Artists in Dialogue”, curated by Tonia Tzanavara, Municipal Art Gallery of Corinth, 2014.
“Painting, Cultural Organization of Agios Nikolaos Municipality”, Crete, 2007.
“Visual Artists Exhibit for Peace”, Melina Mercouri Cultural Center, Athens, 1998.
“Painting”, with the Art Praxis group, curated by Kate Papanikolaou, Ionian Cultural Center, Corfu, 1998.
PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS WORLDWIDE
(selection)
“Watercolor 7 – Summer Resting Place”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“Art Inspires Art III – Pablo Picasso”, Pocket Star Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“The Visible and the Invisible”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Luminous Eye, Athens, 2023.
“Ink on Paper 8: The Script of Art”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Luminous Eye, Athens, 2023.
“Gesture and Symbolism”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Luminous Eye, Athens, 2023.
“Steps and Journeys”, as a guest artist with the ARC Revisited Collective, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“Ink on Paper 6”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“Color”, curated by Maria Rigatou-Ioakeimidi, MegArt Gallery, Athens, 2023.
“Ink on Paper 5”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“New Symbols 2”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“Watercolor 6 – Transitional Spaces”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“Watercolor 5 – Secret City”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Myro Gallery, Thessaloniki, 2022.
“Summer Stories”, curated by Maria Rigatou-Ioakeimidi, MegArt Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“The Face of Things”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Chili Art Gallery, Athens, 2022.
“Ink on Paper 3”, concept and curation by Paris Kapralos, Myro Gallery, Thessaloniki, 2022.
“Five Artists in Dialogue”, curated by Tonia Tzanavara, Municipal Art Gallery of Corinth, 2014.
“Painting, Cultural Organization of Agios Nikolaos Municipality”, Crete, 2007.
“Visual Artists Exhibit for Peace”, Melina Mercouri Cultural Center, Athens, 1998.
“Painting”, with the Art Praxis group, curated by Kate Papanikolaou, Ionian Cultural Center, Corfu, 1998.
HONOURS & AWARDS
(selection)
Fine Art Prize: Awarded at the International Art Exhibition “Kobe 2005”,HaradanoMori Gallery, Kobe Prefecture Museum, Japan (May 2005).
Al Hill Award: Received at the 48th Annual International Competition “Bold Expressions”,Sacramento Fine Arts Center, California, USA (October 2003).
Hyogo Prefecture Culture Association Prize: Recognized at the International Art Exhibition “Kobe 2003”,HaradanoMori Gallery, Kobe Prefecture Museum, Japan (May 2003).
Governor’s Prize: Presented at the International Art Exhibition “Nagoya”,organized by the International Art Council “KokusaiBijutsuShingikai” of Japan and Nagoya Municipality (May 2002).
Guest Artist Prize: Granted at the International Art Exhibition “ZeroKai”,organized by the International Art Council “KokusaiBijutsuShingikai” of Japan and Osaka Municipality (February 2002).
Icarus Free Flight Award: Received at the International Exhibition “Icarus Roll, Pitch & Yaw”,B. Carolina, USA (December 2001).
Glory Artist Prize: Conferred at the International Art Exhibition “SeikoTen”,organized by the International Art Council “KokusaiBijutsuShingikai” of Japan (December 2001).
Prize of Unique Artwork: Awarded by sponsor company Holbein Art Supplies at the 12th Annual International Competition Richmont Memorial Library Gallery Batavia Society of Artists, New York (October 2001).
Excellent Art Prize: Achieved at the International Art Exhibition “Kurashiki 2001”,organized by the International Art Council “KokusaiBijutsuShingikai” of Japan (July 2001).
ARTWORKS
CRITICAL APPROACH
Olga Barmazi is an artist capturing the world with generous inspiration, inviting the viewer to explore the multidimensional aspects of visual perception and the human soul. With endless freshness, she creates compositions that transform everyday life into a continuous improvisation, offering unique experiences that beckon the soul to dance to the powerful rhythm of art.
Barmazi’s visual language comprises biomorphic forms that redefine the way we perceive reality. Her experimental approach, predominantly formalistic, challenges the boundaries of visual perception. In recent years, Barmazi has focused on a series of works titled “Flows and Fragments.” This series primarily features paintings where fluid forms, dots, and patterns with geometric abstraction create compositions that seek to capture the synesthesia of images as perceived through vision and experience, whether individual or collective.
At the core of these compositions, the interplay of black and white, though becoming rarer, serves as a scenic background. As the artist’s progression nudges her towards the spectrum of colour, it’s executed in a more disciplined manner compared to the exuberance often seen in this genre in Greece. While the “explosions of colour” are somewhat absent, the use of materials like watercolour and India ink on paper, oil on canvas, and attached elements such as aluminum foil, enable the artist to explore and depict the stark contrasts and transformations inherent in her work.
A significant aspect of Barmazi’s work lies in her belief that visual perception results from both the physiology of human vision and the imagery of images. In this context, the artist delves into the role of the mind in processing visual stimuli, attempting to capture how the eye sees what the brain permits, and how that affects our perception.
In her works, Barmazi utilizes automatic gestures originating from initial sketches, simultaneously incorporating elements of improvisation. This gestural painting process yields the rhythm of life and the occasional emotional pulse, akin to an impromptu dance on paper. Barmazi avoids conscious interventions and corrections, allowing the initial result to guide her. If the final image takes on an aesthetic form and “narrates” a micro-story, she then “signs” it; otherwise, she either discards or leaves it for future analysis. Equally crucial are the textures that infuse vitality into her works. Barmazi draws inspiration from constructivism and cubism, borrowing elements emerging from the textures of her artworks. The contrasts and transformations arising from this combined approach to colour and texture intensify the impact and resonance of her pieces.
–Paris Kapralos
Art Curator
