A conversation with multimedia artist Pavlina Vagioni: “We live in a technocratic world, but our psyche seeks the magical.”
By Tonia Jaferi, January 6, 2023
She splits her life between Athens and Texas. She successfully completed her first solo show in Athens with the title “Siren Symphony in G sharp,” inspired by the Odyssey, while she is already preparing her new collection, also inspired by Hellenic mythology and, more precisely, Medusa and Proteus. In her multimedia creations, you will find from NFTs as a medium of expression to paintings, music works, and sculptures.
The list of all these exciting elements that drew our attention to the work of multimedia artist Pavlina Vagioni could go on for much longer. But instead, we decided to let her best present them herself through a fascinating talk with her.
Pavlina Vagioni is a person who places art very highly among her life’s priorities, and this is because, according to her, “the language of art communicates directly with the essence of who we are.” Her aesthetic is multifaceted, so she likes combining various art forms while keeping her creative method always the same. Among the artists that she likes is Chiharu Shiota for the theatrical qualities of her works, while in the end, she leaves a comment that was intensely imprinted in us:
“Just having talent will not take you anywhere if you don’t commit daily to your craft.”
What does art mean to you? How did you decide to get involved with it professionally?
It is the medium where I can connect better and more meaningfully with the people around me. The material of art, whether it is color, sound, form, movement, light, shadow, volume, or line, penetrates us more profoundly than our conscious level. The language of art communicates directly with the essence of who we are, and for this reason, it triggers emotional and spiritual responses. My decision to be professionally involved with it came after I had accumulated enough life experiences to understand that I must accept and follow my nature to live an authentic and complete life. That is why I am very interested in the idea of metamorphosis and our path toward our self-fulfillment.
One element that makes your art stand out is the multimedia aspect of your works. How did you decide to get involved with multimedia works, and how difficult is it to combine various media in one piece?
It was not a calculated decision but came about gradually because I was doing parallel studies in music and the visual arts and wanted to combine the two art forms. Then I understood that I like complexity and kept adding more materials to my work. The notion of difficulty is subjective because I like getting out of my comfort zone.
What was your experience with making NFTs a medium of expression? How do you see the future of NFTs in general?
As a procedure, it was effortless because the technical part and the hosting are done by the PINSL platform I collaborate with. I had made the digital material beforehand, and the code was put in afterward, registering myself as a creator and the future owner of the work. The future of NFTs, I believe, is promising because we are becoming all the more digital in our lives. The extreme artwork price fluctuations we observe are corrections because the market is not mature enough. Besides, as Web 3.0 is in the making, and we expect it within this decade, it will shift our perception toward NFTs.
What is your primary source of inspiration?
I am inspired by the tacit, the occult, and the mysterious. In other words, that which exists within myths. The more I get involved with them, the more I consider them essential today. We live in a technocratic, practical, and rational world, but our psyche seeks the magical. Is it a coincidence that the man of the 21st century lives more alienated and less connected with other humans, animals, and the environment than the man of ancient civilizations? Mythical themes are not just beautiful stories but codes and symbols. Our subconscious understands this “language.”
What’s it like dividing your life between the USA and Greece? What has each country offered you creatively, and what main differences have you distinguished between them?
My life will become more and more nomadic as I move on with my practice because there are many countries where I would like to do an art residency or a project. For now, I come and go between these two. It is not difficult for me to change environments because I have been traveling since I was little. More specifically, in Houston, in the state of Texas, where I have my second studio, people have the same idiosyncrasy as us Greeks. As for the creative aspect, Greece has shaped my way of thinking and my practice. I studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts, and my mentors are in Greece. It is also my homeland.
On the other hand, America is a country where private initiative plays a more critical role than state initiative. A good idea will be funded and materialized more quickly than passing through public channels—this way of functioning best suits people with a more active life stance. I also like the fact that there is a very organized framework for the artists there.
Which artists inspire you, and with whom would you like to collaborate one day?
I very much like the works of Chiharu Shiota for their theatrical aspect and the works of Kiki Smith for her references to animals and nature. But ideally, I would like to collaborate not with a particular visual artist but with musicians so that we work complementarily together.
What are your next plans as an artist? Are you preparing an exhibition in Athens?
I recently finished my first solo show at Kappatos Gallery in Athens, which had the Sirens as a theme. I am now researching Medusa and Proteus, and this exploration will lead me toward new ideas and materials. I continuously evolve my art this way.
Is there a work of art that had an impact on you?
No, my preferences change as I also change as a human being. For some reason, however, the works that evoke the most intense feelings in me are the musical ones. Now that your question made me think of it, even some visual artworks that come to my mind also had musical elements.
What would you advise somebody who wants to get involved professionally with art and especially in the area where you are active?
When they become professionally involved, they have to devote themselves to it. Just having talent will not get you anywhere if you don’t commit daily to your craft.
To read the interview in the original Greek language, click here.
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