Tell us about the highlights of your journey. What have been the key milestones that brought you to where you are today?
The highlights of my journey are reflected in my works themselves; through creating them, I evolve as well. In 2008, I created White Queen, a photographic installation consisting of 32 works, corresponding to the 32 pieces on a chessboard.
In 2012, I presented the series featuring funnels, with water as its central element, where each work represented a different psychological state.
In 2018 came Room of Punishment, the first time I brought together photographic and sculptural works as part of a single body of work.
In 2022, Counting Time followed in Vienna, an exploration of the concept of time, a journey of inquiry that continues to this day.
And in 2024, Transmutation, an exhibition of jewellery and objects, an ode to the human body and nature.
How did your first idea come about, and how did you discover a creative path through jewellery and design more broadly?
In 1994, I held the special wax used in jewellery making for the first time—the wax that is melted and replaced by metal through the casting process. Watching the wax transform into metal, I fell in love with this process of transmutation, and I have continued to work with it ever since.
What inspires you, and where do you see the line that transforms an object into a work of art?
The dividing line is thought. I draw inspiration from everywhere, but above all from nature, as well as from the history of art and humanity, and from the sciences—mathematics, physics and astronomy.
Having been on this journey for several years, how do you feel your aesthetic has evolved?
The more you study, travel and expose yourself to new experiences and perspectives, the more you evolve, encouraging your brain to form new connections.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievements?
Every age and every stage of life has its own achievements. First and foremost, I am grateful to have been able to make a living from what I studied, without having to take on another job alongside it, as most of my colleagues do. I am also grateful to be healthy and, at least so far, to have lived a rather cinematic life!
Tell us about your participation in Jewellery Was Never Innocent, the exhibition by The Great Design Disaster that opened in Patmos. How did it come about, and what are you presenting there?
The exhibition was an idea by Joy Herro, through my gallery, The Breeder, with which she has collaborated in the past.
I am presenting Bubble Wrap and Film, two jewellery series consisting of bracelets and necklaces. They are unique, handmade pieces. Their inspiration comes from the transformation of an inexpensive material such as plastic into 925 silver.
How would you describe your jewellery? Eccentric, unconventional, unexpected—what else?
Yes, all of the above, but also beautifully crafted. As an artist, I cannot tolerate sloppiness. I want my work to be technically impeccable and meticulously finished down to the very last detail.
What do you consider the most important elements in jewellery design for a piece to be successful, and what are the non-negotiable values that guide the way you work?
First and foremost, a piece of jewellery should flatter the person wearing it. I never compromise when it comes to the time needed to create a piece; I give it as much time as it requires.
When do you feel happiest and most fulfilled in relation to your creative work? Is that a common feeling?
The artistic process can bring both great joy and great disappointment. It is a cycle that repeats itself among artists from the moment they begin creating. Proust referred to this, comparing his unhappy and dissatisfied character to that of a fine arts student.
What is coming up next in your plans?
On September 24, my next solo exhibition opens at The Breeder gallery, where I will present photographic and sculptural works. The subject draws inspiration from the brothels on Iasonos Street in Metaxourgeio, where the gallery is also located. It is the result of many years of both secondary and primary research.
Do you feel that you invite your audience to think outside the box, and what kind of response have you received so far?
That is certainly my intention, and I believe I succeed in doing so.
What else do you create?
I don’t see jewellery as separate from the rest of my work. I am a visual artist, so everything I create comes from that perspective.
What do you love doing most, and what would be your dream project?
For most artists, the dream project is a retrospective exhibition in a major museum.
Who are the artists closest to your heart, and why?
The list is endless and evolves over the years, but the first one that came to mind, and one I particularly admire, is Gerhard Richter’s Atlas—a systematic record of memory, which in a way also connects to my upcoming exhibition.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Compulsive, consistent, romantic.
What is the last thing you bought, and why did you choose it?
The catalogue from the Hilma af Klint exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris.
What is the best book you’ve read recently?
The Divine Child by Pascal Bruckner.
What is one object you would never want to part with?
My rings.
Three places you love returning to, and why?
Tinos, because it is my destiny; London, because I learned it and now I know it; and New York, which, however much it transforms, continues to enchant me.
Do you believe that art and creativity can be a path towards becoming better human beings?
At least internally, yes.
Something we don’t know about you?
Although it may not seem so, I have a very good sense of direction.
The museum and the artwork that stole your heart?
If I have to choose one museum, it’s easy: I would say the Prado.
The artwork, however, is much harder to choose. I’ll go with the last one I saw that truly excited me: Fiancée Folle Blanche by Alina Szapocznikow.
Give us your own definition of beauty.
Something that has harmony and kindness.
What do you consider authentic nowadays?
Very few things have remained authentic, unfortunately.
I’ll say Aqua Marina in Vouliagmeni. I know that’s not exactly what you’re asking, but that’s what I’ll answer.
