Location: Greece
Mariva Zacharof
Email: marivazacharof@msn.com Website: www.mariva-zacharof.com
Born in Athens, Greece in 25/02/ 1978. Raised in Liege of Belgium and studied Fine Arts in Great Britain. Currently lives and works in Athens.
Studies:
2000 – 2005 University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, UK. Cardiff School of Art and Design.
B.A Hons. in Fine Arts.
Specification: Time – Based Practice. Through installation, video art, mixed media and sound and light design, I’ve studied the sense of live art.
Dissertation: Ways in which scopophilia, fetishism, voyeurism and fantasies can be developed in Cinema and specifically in Hitchcock films.
1999 – 2000 Winchester School of Art and Design, Hampshire, UK.
Foundation Course in Fine Arts.
1996 – 1999 Private School of Art of Villy Kanellopoulou, Athens, Greece.
Study of life drawing, color and human anatomy.
Awards – Scholarships – Memberships:
2011 Member of the Archive of Greek Artists of EMST.
2010 Best of Worldwide Mixed Media Artists, Volume I K - Z, competition held by Kennedy Publishing US.
2008 Member of the Hellenic Art Chamber of Commerce.
2007 Member of “DESTE” Foundation and part of its Archive for the Contemporary Greek Artists, Athens, Greece.
2003 – 2005 The Shillizzi Foundation
Two - year Scholarship for the continuation of my studies.
2004 – 2005 The Sidney Perry Foundation
Award for an Art Project.
Solo Exhibition:
2008 Childhood Dreams, Astrolavos – Deksameni Gallery, Athens, Greece.
Selected Group Exhibitions:
7 July – 14 August SYMBIOSE ART FESTIVAL in Breda, The Netherlands.
1-10 July 2011 Parallax AF, La Galleria, Royal Opera Arcade, Pall Mall,London, SW1Y 4UY
20 – 26 June 2011 The Fringe Festival, “TECHNOPOLIS” Municipality of Athens, Peiraios 100, Gkazi. Participating as part of the Ash in Art Foundation.
20 – 22 May 2011 Athens Video Art Festival, “TECHNOPOLIS” Municipality of Athens, Peiraios 100, Gkazi.
Feb 2011 “An-Energy” Group show held in Ash in Art foundation, Athens, Greece.
Dec.’10–Jan ’11 “Christmas Group Show” held in Astrolavos Art Gallery, Athens, Greece.
June, July 2010 “Cross Over” Festival for the Arts, Syros, Kos, Lesvos, Greece.
Feb 2010 “H.A.S.A.P” Group Show held by the Ash In Art Foundation in order to raise founding and awareness about the Haiti tragedy.
June- Sept. 2009 “Cross Over” Festival for the Arts, Athens, Patmos, Ithaca, Greece.
11/06/05 “Sometimes I wonder…” Performance in Time – Based Space Workshop, Cardiff, UK.
10/05/05 “Unfolding the Spiral”. Installation in Time – Based Space Workshop, Cardiff, UK.
10/12/04 “Sweet Dreams”, “Sweet Dreams Little Girls”. Installations at tactileBosch Art Gallery, Cardiff, UK, as part of the group exhibition “Diversities”.
March 04 “So Long Grandpa”. Audio – Visual Installation in Time – Based Space Workshop, Cardiff, UK.
Feb. 04 “Minore of the Teke”. Audio – Visual Installation in Time – Based Space Workshop, Cardiff, UK.
July 01 “The Big Baby of the Family”. Installation at Jacob’s Market Art Gallery, Cardiff, UK, as part of the group exhibition “Pick and Mix”.
June 01 “Bitter, Confused and Lonely”. Installation at Jacob’s Market Art Gallery, Cardiff, UK.
Work Experience:
2007 – 2010 Painting Workshop of the City Council of N. Philadelphia, Athens, Greece.
Art Teacher in both adult and children groups.
2004 Organizing and curating the group exhibition “Diversities” that took place at tactileBosch Art Gallery, Cardiff, UK.
2004 Talk about the “Archaic Smile” in the Theatre of Cardiff School of Art and Design, UWIC, Cardiff, UK.
2001 Woodlands High School, Ely, Cardiff, UK.
Voluntary teaching. Painting and sculpture teaching to children of special needs 6 to 18 years old. The project set was drawing and woodcarving based on African and Aboriginal Art.
I try with a sense of humour and sweetness and intensity to approach the world of children, which is radically different and depending on the society and the conditions in which they live.
A child who grows up with the technological and material comforts a Western Society does not have the same concerns or the same dreams as a child who grows up in the third world. Not all children are facing the same problems nor perceive happiness in the same way. But all are entitled to enjoy it and live decently.
I am using mixed techniques and I'm looking for the most suitable material to express the idea. In any case not to customise the idea in the hardware.
In my last work, mainly collage and vivid colours are used in order to express, with sweetness and humour, the often difficult situations experienced by children.
I'm also using drawing with charcoal to canvas and some touches of acrylic colours. With my decision to use black – white – red, I do not wish to simply stretch the drama and intensity of the forms but to address the danger of the apathy and indifference towards children and their problems.
“Devastated Angel”, painting, 100cm x 150cm. Charcoal and acrylic colors on canvas. The piece is coated with clear water varnish for protection reasons.
“Fellini”, painting, 100cm x 150cm Charcoal and acrylic colors on canvas. The piece is coated with clear water varnish for protection reasons.
“Ghosts”, painting, 100cm x 150cm. Charcoal and acrylic colors on canvas. The piece is coated with clear water varnish for protection reasons.
“The Awaking”, painting, 200cm x 150cm, charcoal and acrylic colors on canvas. The piece is coated with clear water varnish for protection reasons.
“Synchronized Swimming”, painting, 120cm x 120cm, charcoal, collage and china ink on canvas. The piece is coated with clear water varnish for protection reasons.
“Angel Upon My Shoulder”, painting, 100cm x 150cm Charcoal, acrylic colors and collage on canvas. The piece is coated with clear water varnish for protection reasons.
This piece is inspired by the Surrealism movement in Art. It starts as a narration that unfolds from the floor to the ceiling revealing a sequence of figures drawn by a typewriter. The figures are inspired by Diane Arbus’ photos and express the paradox but also the happiness that each person seeks through life. The audience can observe the drawings and view the piece influenced by the scale and the way it stands in space.
“ Devastated Angel”
“ Fellini”
“ Ghosts”
“ The Awaking ”
“ Sychronized Swimming”
“ Angel Upon My Shoulder”
