ARCAthens

I want to become a more exploratory and internationally engaged artist, willing to challenge established ways of seeing, thinking and making work. After more than thirty years of developing my painting practice, I see this residency as an opportunity to reconsider my relationship with painting, expand my visual language and introduce new intellectual and cultural influences into my work.

My practice has increasingly moved beyond traditional painting into installation, mixed media and the use of unconventional surfaces. I am interested in how materials, movement, transparency and chance can transform an initial observation or emotional response into something less predictable. Whether working with expressive abstraction, cultural symbolism or temporary installations, I am interested in the relationship between personal experience and the world around me.

Athens offers a particularly compelling environment for this exploration. Its relationship between ancient and contemporary culture, European and international perspectives, and its history of migration, identity and cultural exchange provide opportunities to reconsider how history and place influence contemporary artistic expression. I am interested in examining how artists working in Athens respond to these relationships and how their approaches might challenge my own assumptions.

I would approach the residency as an active research experience. Through studio visits, conversations with artists and curators, engagement with collections and independent exploration, I want to develop a deeper understanding of the ideas and practices shaping contemporary art in Greece. I am particularly interested in how different cultural histories influence visual language, material choices and artistic identity.

Ultimately, I want to leave Athens with more than a body of new work. I want to develop a broader perspective, greater confidence in experimentation and a more considered understanding of where my practice can go next. I see this residency as an opportunity to become a more questioning, responsive and internationally connected artist, bringing new experiences and ideas into the next chapter of my work.