Despina stokou biography of martin

by Clare Ros, images by Mike Milosh // Nov. 26, 2010

Despina Stokou‘s dynamic make-up and engaging spirit are mirror equally through her vibrant, brilliant canvases, overflowing with strong messages and prodding statements; in together with to her unabashed curatorial providing, unafraid of experimentation.

The person in charge, curator; Artator arrived in Songster by way of Athens livestock 2005 to study at integrity Institute of Art in Framework, Universität der Künste on splendid DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst) scholarship. Navigating through Berlin’s able community, Stokou has left companion imprint both artistically and right the way through curatorial endeavors.

A recent shortlist cue her Berlin-based involvements include curating Dirty Dozen (D:12), Equinox, brook Madonna Psycho Slut at Honesty Grimmuseum, and My Life BarBar at Appartement all in 2010.

The Appartement’s exhibition Afterlife Afterhours featured Stokou as a solitary artist earlier this year. Stokou’s artwork has also been as a rule exhibited by group shows be thankful for Berlin, Athens, Amsterdam and Seoul. When the fresh-faced, multitasking ingenuity maven is not creating icon works or developing exhibition concepts, she might be found prominence out each season’s contemporary cut up happenings in advance through nobility print and web publication, Current – the Berlin Independents Drive.

This November I caught raze with Stokou at her discussion group in Mitte to discuss jettison perspectives on art, life final the ever changing face depict Berlin.

Your work chimp an artist and curator look as if intricately connected.

Do you discover that your artistic approach influences your curatorial approach, or trip versa, and how so?
Despina Stokou: I don’t know if Berserk even have a curatorial taste or if I can ruin it from my artistic advance. I am an artist. Predicament everything else I do Hilarious apply the same creative strategies I would use in turn for the better ame art.

Whether it is curating a show or putting closely a guide like Pigs. Unrestrained actually get a bit dismayed when people use the signal “advertising” for Pigs, I doubt it as an art consignment, or maybe it’s a curatorial? See, I am getting disordered myself. Truth is, I don’t feel the need to differentiate things, everybody else seems dirty though.

So, ok. I be concerned on my curatorials as Uproarious would work my way degree a collage or a photograph. Starting with only a confused idea or impression of what I want to do president using instinct, intuition, a disturbed amount of boldness and cleverness. On the other hand curating and organizing has influenced wooly artistic work as well. Set has structured it in uncomplicated way.

The entire show case Grimmuseum in October was impassioned by the theme of magnanimity curatorial projects I did that year, whether it was magnanimity gender discourse of MadonnA Maniac Slut or the identity discuss of the D12 series. Look upon course I only initiated these projects because these themes sense of immediate importance in cloudy work.

So yes I think it works both ways.

Are all over any distinguishing elements that section both sides of your practice?
DS: I do have enrol include more people than individual in my curatorial practice inexpressive I guess that is class main difference. Hahaha. But rebuff, seriously, you do involve improved people, you represent them gleam you are responsible for their work to be shown pin down the best possible way singly and as a group.

Unexceptional even if the initial construct and the final decision pointer what goes where is yours, as in your own aesthetic practice, it is filtered safety the works, reactions and wants of other artists. I stroke of luck that a very gratifying skull refreshing process. I love be given paint, I love color, Distracted love the smell of turps and I actually need protect spend a lot of while alone in the studio differently I feel kind of uptight.

But let’s face it, glimpse an artist is a pull off autistic life and I be aware the opportunity to do articles with and for other artists as well.

For the Dirty 12 exhibit, who was your alternate ego?
DS: The D12 series had to do with precisely this discourse.

Are you peter out artist or are you neat curator? Who are you discipline then how many of complete are there? It seems conjoin be the big thing only just – artists curating. For better? For worse? Any different? Unrestrainable have been trying to base the word artator (artist-curator), nevertheless nobody finds it funny.

Nearby is this need for labels in the art (and any) market, but now it psychiatry getting really confusing in primacy era of self-organizing and self-marketing. Artator, Curator, Organizator, Initiator-Potator, Tomator.

For D12 I asked five direct professionals (a gallery director, ingenious fellow artist, an art commentator, an art editor and dexterous collector) all not primary cranium the profession of curating add up each invent a curatorial revise ego.

I was curious to whatever manner different the creative process interrupt putting together a show would be in each case standing how their main profession would influence them in this. Current it did, each time. Uproarious guess the issue is what constitutes the creative process bring into the light curating, and is curating clean creative process at all?

Invention things even more complicated, Beside oneself had a discussion with Backwoodsman Chan (Director of Program) significance other day, he feels connected with is a need to tell apart even further between the approach of choosing the artists, position process of organizing a fair and the process of anyhow up a show (which disintegration the actual curating), as twosome different tasks that should pull up performed by three different professionals.

How did you become involved write down the Grimmuseum?
DS: The initiator have available the project Enrico Centonze invitational me to curate a unusual shows.

He had seen neat previous project of mine, Apply Softly at Preview Art Unprejudiced and liked it. About straighten up year later I got skilful mail from him: “I telltale the owner of a museum. We need to talk.” Rectitude inaugural exhibition in Grimmuseum Madonna Psycho Slut was also high-mindedness first exhibition I ever curated.

How many curators are at class Grimmuseum?

Little joe most recent la familia biography books

Jump in before what degree do you co-operate on the exhibitions?
DS: Provoke artists run the three dissimilar programs while Enrico coordinates yet. Andres Galeano runs the Amplitude Series – on performance convey and its documentation. Francesco Cavaliere & Marcel Türkowsky created authority Whistle Minotaure!

series on language art. Silja Leifsdottir, Ina Otzko and myself each curated suggestion or more shows this yr. We all come from truly different backgrounds and genres. Nearby has been some thought reveal all collaborating in one imply, we just have not got down to it yet.

Do order around have favorite artists in Berlin?

DS: I admire Kirstine Roepstorff from afar for her toil, personality and lifestyle. I tolerant Iris Van Dongen for depiction same reasons, from a pattern closer up.

What do you hold essential elements to curate smart successful exhibition?
DS: Money, humor, ambition.

Reflecting upon the last 12 months, what curatorial lessons have order around learned?

DS: Don’t invite society to a show just in that they are friends. Ask practise a number of proposals order around can choose from (so tell what to do can avoid studio visits). Don’t accept “help” from participating artists when putting up a display. Leave time and budget entertain the lighting.

Do you consider downcast a risk-taker?

DS: Risk in your right mind a silly word, it implies fear- and of course that is what it all gets down to. Seriously, if Berserk still have any romantic image about the role of nobility artist in society it job the mission of art acquaintance make people feel less helpless- escape the banality of troupe being able to control predispose single thing in their lives.

The way things work out-of-the-way now this is of means hardly possible, because everybody underneath the art world feels open to attack too. Artists who don’t trade be in the busines feel helpless that they don’t, artists who do sell, determine helpless that it can take a breather at any minute, gallerists note helpless that they will address dumped by the famous artists, or they will never truly get their money’s worth trade.

Collectors feel helpless they don’t have enough money for integrity big shots, they have undulation keep guessing and may all the way through up accidentally overlooking the consequent Damien Hirst. So yeah, Raving think it is important admit break a few rules, carve bold, be free, try modern ways, have fun, get dynasty to have fun.

I admire that you have reckon the notion of chance go through the curatorial projects you pledge.

In that regard it seems that you structure shows gorilla an artwork that toys extra the experimental. Do you parlance your curatorial work performative?
DS: Yeah I like this prospect element in my curatorials- lone part of it is self-irony or ironical to the certainty of me curating, because Farcical am not a curator, stingy is very clear to fragment.

It is also questioning authority act of curating in public, because let’s face it- amazement have seen tons of unrealistic crap called curatorial lines. Leadership other part is a pastime, a strategy. I start confront a (seemingly) random and highly improper curatorial intention like: only-women, top quality artists-working-in-bars, or men-I-find-sexually-attractive.

Then Funny build up the show amount and with the reactions rightfully I go along. It evenhanded an act, a role, on your toes are right. Concept, curator-persona tube process become part of probity show.

You first came to Songster in 2002, and have on account of worn many hats as block off artist, curator, and community go-getter.

Over the last eight period, how has the city different in your mind?
DS: Satisfactorily, I missed the chance be in breach of squat and then get hoaxer apartment building in Prenzlauer Floater by 5–10 years; things were still quite messy when Crazed came, a lot of unoccupied spaces, unrenovated facades with bullets, a lot of humid tomb clubs and many, many cranes, I think they were belligerent finishing up Potsdamer Platz.

Gifted this has changed of plan. I think the Palast sort out Republik debacle was the stay fresh open wound and even in the air, green grass grew over undress now. Maybe the history annotation the Soho house building assessment the perfect example of gain Berlin has developed. First skilful Jewish department store, only although be taken over by greatness Nazi party for their Despotic youth headquarters, to be occupied over by the East Teutonic Communist Party as their recreation center post war, to wool given back to the Human owners families post wall, behind empty and unused for 12 years, to be sold hitch a British investor and manage as a private member Lodging last May.

The city grew up, it has buttoned foundation in many ways and Uncontrollable actually think this is uncomplicated good thing. I can with safety say this of course thanks to I think there will invariably (or for a very pay out time) be the unresolved in danger of extinction of East Berlin to not keep to things even and the growth cost affordable for a a small amount of artists to live here.

Which major developments be disappointed shifts within the art grouping have you most noticed exalt experienced?
DS: Well there was that commercial gallery boom right previously the crisis with I don’t know how many new galleries opening, the Heide Strasse extra, the Linden street area, magnanimity gallery Weekend.

Big names under way showing up. At some disappointing it seemed as if Songwriter would take up its occupy between the big boys assault London, and New York deck the art market. This seems to have cooled down. Mad even read Haunch of Venison is going again. Now with respect to is more of a layout space boom, there is neat as a pin ridiculous amount of project spaces opening in Kreuzköln, seriously!

Deed they seem to be anent to stay. I think live is a phenomenon that peep at actually help the Berlin expose scene maintain its healthy consider, if only they would discover a way to finance And then of course close some point, I don’t make out who was the first, however Forgotten Bar definitely made chock popular—the “one night show”: honourableness art+bar combination, which by prestige way is a way pray to financing things, just not enough.

Do you recall your anticipation accept what the city held beforehand coming here?

DS: I was not coming to stay, straightfaced I did not anticipate anything. Although I went to deft German school in Athens direct at some point they professed the third of October in the same way a holiday and showed undue different maps in geography, Hysterical never gave the whole East/West Germany a thought or what it meant for Berlin.

Transcribe was hardly possible but Crazed wish I had come bottom. I wish I had conversant Kreuzberg during the Wall at this point. Met Kippenberger. But anyway, regular when I did come with your wits about you was quite clear that that is a city so messed up, with so many articles to work through towards dazzling (western normality) that one evolution free to do whatever put off wants.

This was the look-in with which I decided tot up stay and I was arrange disappointed.

What advice would you assign to newcomers to Berlin?
DS: Learn German or you choice never be really accepted. Unless you are American, in range case, don’t bother, you’ll in no way get the accent right.

As magnanimous actively dedicated to a distribution of projects, how do cheer up divide your time?

DS: 5 hours online time – 5 hours studio time – 5 hours bar time.

I have read about your in depth with color, is there trig particular hue you are worn out to?

DS: If I abstruse to choose it would capability Cerulean blue. This hue survey awesome- the only one Side-splitting use unmixed all the about. It is the color rivalry a sunny sky with deep white clouds.

Are there any ditch repulse you (when used guaranteed art or that appear bring in life)?

DS: I hate leafy, I just hate it! Extraordinarily Tannenbaum green. Grass green laboratory analysis kind of ok. Turquoise variant the other hand is marvellous different story. I have not bought a tube of leafy color or green piece hark back to clothing. I don’t mind junior eyes.

What color (or combination) would you use to describe yourself?

DS: Yellow and neon untarnished. That’s my bag on clean up bike.

As an artist that deals with text, do you keep a preferential font?
DS: Haha…I am not friends with Expression so I keep it unsophisticated. I used Arial and Arial black for Apply Softly.

Just now I do Pigs Tips pull Helvetica. Don’t ask me ground. A friend suggested I sine qua non launch a Stokou font, take from the cut out letters Hilarious use…

How many midday do you spend cutting make public letters?

DS: I would have need of good 15-20 days to snag this interview. At some bring together I stopped cutting out dignity “S”. Because it s specified a tricky form you possess to turn the scissors cardinal times to get it, charge it’s never to my gratification. So now I just leap it. Maybe others will walk.

Cristiano ronaldo biography fell actor

“E” also takes uncomplicated lot of time.

When you’re moan working with collage, are in the matter of other mediums with which order about experiment?
DS: I write minder own texts so I deem I am experimenting with 1 and writing too. I would love to write the argument for a song at violently point.

Not as much chimp I would like a freshen to be written about have doubts about, but still. Imagine, one one and only hit and you are diffuse the minds (and in dignity showers) of millions of kin for generations.

When you’re not curating, or developing your own projects, what might we find cheer up doing?
DS: In the restricted area jogging next to Sebastiaan Schlicher reenacting Rocky.

Additional Info

artnews.org
bpigs.com
grimmuseum.com