Women Artists

The Scenographic World of Elena Antonopoulou

Errika Gerakiti 13 January 2021 min Read

Elena Antonopoulou is a young artist from Greece. She has studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts. Also, she has participated in several artistic contests, winning first place and recognition. In Spring 2021 she will have her first solo exhibition in Athens. Her work has changed forms over the years, but what has stayed the same is that Antonopoulou still addresses current affairs and personal matters.

Elena Antonopoulou working on one of her projects. Courtesy of the artist.
Elena Antonopoulou working on one of her projects. Courtesy of the artist.

Darkest Inspirations

Elena Antonopoulou’s father is a well-recognized contemporary artist in Greece, Aggelos Antonopoulos. He is one of the artists she admires the most and draws inspiration from. Aggelos Antonopoulos creates crafts and installations. Thus he shows the viewer his personal opinions on several current affairs in a dark and allusive way.

Other than him, Elena Antonopoulou finds inspiration in the work of Triantafyllos Patraskidis, in the way he distorts his figures. Also, Hans Bellmer, Louise Bourgeois, Joseph Cornell, and René Magritte are a few other artists that stimulate her. Basically, Expressionism and Surrealism are the two general movements that provoke her imagination. For example, in the artwork below, we can see the resemblance to Dora Maar, or at least the surrealistic influence.

Elena Antonopoulou, Untitled, 2017, collage. Courtesy of the artist.
Elena Antonopoulou, Untitled, 2017, collage. Courtesy of the artist.

Elena Antonopoulou, Untitled, 2018, craft of canvases, prints. Courtesy of the artist.
Elena Antonopoulou, Untitled, 2018, craft of canvases, prints. Courtesy of the artist.

The Evolution of the Form and the Scenery of Current Affairs

Antonopoulou’s art has changed over the years. She began with painting which later turned to photography and photo collage in natural size. Nowadays, she makes crafts. She takes figures and puts them into wooden boxes with scenographic elements. That is, she creates a 3D world that serves her concept.

Usually she addresses several social issues such as sexism, racism, child abuse, and sexual assault. However, she expresses personal feelings too, such as grief or loss. Overall, the works are filtered and detached in a way. For instance, let’s look at her version of Little Red Riding Hood. The work is based on the original fairytale and denotes child sexual abuse.

Elena Antonopoulou, Untitled, 2020, craft of wooden box, prints. Courtesy of the artist.
Elena Antonopoulou, Untitled, 2020, craft of wooden box, prints. Courtesy of the artist.

Thoughts on Art and Future Projects

From her personal experience, Antonopoulou states that Greece faces problems regarding its institutions, organization, and the openness of artistic creation. Certainly, Covid has inflamed the situation. However, she hopes that Greece will give more opportunities to young artists in the future.

When it comes to future projects, the artist has several on the go. She is working with the Athens School of Fine Arts for the Platforms project of 2021. Also she is preparing her solo exhibition for spring. Lastly, she is participating in a group exhibition about sexual assault.

Elena Antonopoulou, Rosa Luxemburg, 2019, craft of wooden box, prints. Courtesy of the artist.
Elena Antonopoulou, Rosa Luxemburg, 2019, craft of wooden box, prints. Courtesy of the artist.

Elena Antonopoulou, Expectations, 2020, craft of wooden box, prints. Courtesy of the artist.
Elena Antonopoulou, Expectations, 2020, craft of wooden box, prints. Courtesy of the artist.

*All the aforementioned exhibitions will take place if the Covid situation allows it.

Get your daily dose of art

Click and follow us on Google News to stay updated all the time

Recommended

Luisa Roldan, Ecstasy of Mary Magdalene. Women Artists

Luisa Roldán: The Groundbreaking Career of Spain’s First Woman Sculptor

She wrote letters to kings, was Spain’s first documented woman sculptor, and became the official escultora de cámara, or court sculptor, to...

Natalia Iacobelli 30 September 2024

Women Artists

10 Facts to Know About Dorothea Tanning

Dorothea Tanning (1910-2012) was a visionary whose work transcended the conventional boundaries of Surrealism and abstraction. In this “top...

Errika Gerakiti 12 August 2024

Women Artists

Camille Claudel in 5 Sculptures

Camille Claudel was an outstanding 19th-century sculptress, a pupil and assistant to Auguste Rodin, and an artist suffering from mental problems. She...

Valeria Kumekina 24 July 2024

Women Artists

Rosa Bonheur in 10 Paintings

Rosa Bonheur’s paintings are some of the most acclaimed depictions of animals in Western art history, making her one of the most important...

Jimena Escoto 26 June 2024