Tell us about the highlights of your journey. What have been the defining milestones that brought you to where you are today?
For me, painting has been the journey of a lifetime. My career has been built through small, steady steps of growth. I believe in consistency, daily practice, and continuous exploration, because meaningful artistic development doesn’t come through spectacular breakthroughs—it comes through dedication and time.
Important milestones along the way include my exhibitions in Greece and abroad, my active presence and collaborations with leading international art platforms such as Saatchi Art, the French platform Artmajeur, and Sweden’s konst.se, as well as my participation in international art organizations. A particularly significant moment was the presentation of my work Hug at Basel Airport during Art Basel 2023. I also value my inclusion in two publications featuring contemporary European artists in Belgium, as well as my ongoing collaboration with Christina Lappa Art Gallery in Athens.
Above all, however, what matters most is that every experience has helped me refine my own artistic language while remaining true to what I genuinely want to express through my work.
How did you first discover painting as a creative path, and how has that vision evolved over time?
It didn’t begin with a single defining moment. As long as I can remember, I have always been drawing and painting. My artistic practice grew out of observing people, landscapes, and everyday situations, as well as a desire to express what cannot be put into words. Today, I am no longer interested in painting images; I am interested in painting experiences.
How do you feel your aesthetic continues to evolve?
I believe that an artist’s aesthetic doesn’t develop only in the studio. It is cultivated every day through the experiences we choose to have and the things we choose to observe. I love reading, theatre, cinema, music, concerts, exhibitions, and museums. I travel whenever I can, meet people from different cultures and professional backgrounds, follow fashion, and constantly seek out new images and experiences—even within my own city.
All of these become small pieces of a larger mosaic that gradually shapes and enriches my visual language. I believe artists should remain open to the world, because every experience, no matter how small it may seem, has the potential to become a source of inspiration.
What do you consider to be your most important achievements?
My greatest achievement is having developed a distinctive artistic language of my own. Exhibitions and international collaborations have been very important throughout my career, but if I had to single out one moment, it would be the presentation of my work Hug at Basel Airport during Art Basel 2023.
It was an especially emotional milestone because the painting is dedicated to one of my daughters.
Tell us about your exhibition Animus Anima at Christina Lappa Art Gallery. How did the project come about, and what does it explore?
Animus Anima emerged from my desire to explore the profound relationship between human beings, nature, and the inner self. In many ways, it felt like a natural continuation of my previous exhibition, Sea Tales. The title is inspired by the thought of Carl Jung and refers to the coexistence of opposing forces within each of us and our ongoing search for inner balance.
In my work, nature is never simply the backdrop to the story—it is the mother, the womb of life itself. Water functions as an invisible umbilical cord that connects us all, just as a mother is connected to her children. The swimmers are not merely immersed in the sea; they symbolically return to their first home, a place of safety, unity, and renewal.
The sea, whirlpools, and spirals become symbols of life, transformation, and perpetual evolution. Through these works, I wanted to remind us that humanity does not stand above nature but exists as part of it. I believe that only by restoring a harmonious relationship with the natural world can we also rediscover true balance within ourselves.
Your work seems to radiate a joy for life, inviting viewers into a dreamlike, almost utopian world. Is that how you see it, and what messages do you hope to convey?
My work is a reflection of my inner world. If people find light in it, it is because that is what I seek myself—first within me, and then in the people around me. We all carry fears, anxieties, and darker sides within us. Painting is my way of transforming them into hope, beauty, and light.
Who are the people in your life who help you move forward?
My family and my children are my constant source of strength. Along this journey, I have also been fortunate to meet people who believed in my work and supported me. I often think of painting as my own Ithaca. Through this journey, I have met remarkable people, gained invaluable experiences, built meaningful collaborations and friendships, travelled to different countries, and continue to discover new destinations. And the further the journey unfolds, the more rewarding it becomes.
What kind of response do you receive from audiences, and how does the experience differ between Greece and abroad?
The greatest gift I can receive is when someone tells me they stood in front of one of my paintings and experienced something deeply personal. When a work of art evokes emotion, sparks reflection, or awakens a memory, I feel it has fulfilled its purpose.
As for Greece and the international art scene, I do notice differences in the way contemporary art is approached. Abroad, there is often a stronger culture of collecting contemporary art and a more established tradition of supporting artists. In Greece, however, I have seen a growing audience over recent years—people who are increasingly curious, eager to engage with art in a meaningful way, and willing to enter into a genuine dialogue with the artist.
Ultimately, what stays with me is not the differences but the fact that art has the power to connect with people regardless of country, language, or culture.
What has being outward-looking and internationally engaged brought to you, and how has it influenced your work?
Painting is my language. Through it, I have met people from different cultures, built meaningful collaborations, and broadened my horizons, becoming a more complete person in the process. It has taught me to look at the world with greater empathy and to understand that, despite our differences, we have far more in common than what separates us. Naturally, that perspective finds its way into my work.
What’s next for you?
I am currently developing a series of immersive installations that will allow visitors to step inside the world of my paintings. It feels like a natural extension of my artistic practice and the next chapter in my creative journey.
What inspires you to keep evolving as an artist? Can you share a story?
I remember that it all began with a very simple moment. I was having lunch with friends at a small taverna perched on the edge of a high cliff. Looking down, I watched swimmers disappearing into the endless blue of the sea. That image—and the countless photographs I took that day—inspired the first swimmers in my paintings: small human figures immersed in freedom, serenity, and light.
Later, I felt the need to take them somewhere beyond the familiar. While studying the great masters of the Renaissance and the Baroque, I became fascinated by their landscapes and began placing my swimmers within them. In doing so, a dialogue emerged between past and present, between art history and my own visual language.
I believe this is how I evolve as an artist. I don’t change direction; instead, I allow every experience, every image, and every new encounter to enrich the world I am already building.
What values are non-negotiable in your work?
Honesty, consistency, and creative freedom.
What would be your dream project?
A large-scale immersive installation where painting, light, and sound come together to create a fully immersive experience.
Are we defined by the choices we make?
I believe we are. More than that, I believe we are shaped by our habits. Aristotle’s concept of hexis—the habits and dispositions that form our character—has always resonated deeply with me. It is our small, everyday choices that define who we become. That’s why I believe in steady, incremental growth rather than dramatic bursts of change.
Which three places do you always love returning to, and why?
Paris, because every visit reveals something new. It is a city that continually inspires me, both artistically and aesthetically.
The Cyclades, for their sea. There, I feel I return to the most authentic version of myself. It is where I find peace, breathe more deeply, and reconnect with my inspiration.
And finally, my studio, because every creative journey begins—and ends—there.
Can art and creativity make us better human beings?
Art cannot change the world on its own. But it can change the way we see the world—and that is an important beginning.
Tell us a story you’ll never forget.
I vividly remember a moment that moved me deeply. During one of my exhibitions, a painter whom I greatly admire approached me. She stood in front of one of my paintings and told me that it contained every summer of her life. She said she felt as though she were stepping into the water herself, swimming through the turquoise world of the painting, experiencing an unexpected sense of happiness and profound well-being.
In that moment, I understood something essential: a painting is truly complete only when the viewer discovers a part of themselves within it.
What is your personal definition of beauty?
Beauty is a truth that moves us without needing explanation.
What does authenticity mean to you today?
Creating without following trends, while remaining faithful to your values and to your own artistic journey.
Animus Anima by Katerina Papategou
Christina Lappa Art Galleries
On view through July 11
