The dream of Fatima Gasieva was never simply to open an art space. She wanted to create a place where people would feel welcome, discover authentic creators, and leave having enjoyed a beautiful experience. Othen Elemental Aesthetics, a contemporary art and design space in Megalochori, Santorini, is her personal expression of hospitality, aesthetics, and her love for contemporary Greek creativity.
Tell us each about your creative journey. What are the achievements that you hold closest to your heart?
I never chased success. I pursued becoming better at what I love. If there is something I consider an achievement, it is that I managed to build a life around art and share it with other people.
What does Art mean to you, and what is the story behind discovering a creative path through it?
Art is a way of observing. Of seeing beauty where most people simply pass by. It does not provide all the answers; it teaches you to ask better questions.
What do you consider your most significant achievements in the field of art?
The trust of people. When someone takes a piece from Othen and makes it part of their life, I feel I have achieved something truly meaningful.
What is your relationship with Santorini, and how did you come to make the island your home?
I discovered Santorini through my husband Greg Kouskouris and built my family here. Santorini is not only the place where I live. It is a landscape that challenges me every day. Its energy, its light, and its people have become a part of me and of Othen.
What is Othen? How did the idea for it come about, and what does it encompass?
Othen is our common language. My dream, my need for expression through my own perspective. A place where sculpture, design, ceramics, jewellery, books, and music meet without boundaries. I wanted to create a place that you feel before you describe it.
What new story does this new art space have to tell?
That art does not need to stand on a pedestal. It can be beside you, something you use and live with.
As your audience includes an international art community visiting the island, what kind of response have you received so far? Where do you believe today’s art audience is heading, and what are they seeking?
More and more, people seek the truth behind the object. They want to know the person, the process, and the story behind every creation.
In an age overwhelmed by information, art reminds us of the value of emotion. That is why we believe it is more essential than ever.
Tell us about the collaborations you have developed over the years. Which ones stand out, and how have they evolved over time?
We do not choose only creators. We choose people. With Grigoris Kouskouris, Natalia Manta, Anna Karoutzou, Fotini Psarouli, Philip Theodoridis, and Marita from We Are Young, there is mutual respect and shared values; everything else comes naturally.
What have been the brightest moments of your journey, and what values have become non-negotiable for you?
It is not the exhibitions or the sales. It is the people we have met along this journey. They are the true wealth.
How important is your direct interaction with people and their reactions? In what ways does it influence and inspire your work?
They are the greatest source of inspiration. Every person who walks through the doors of Othen leaves something behind and takes something from the space with them.
Do you believe Greece has the potential to make even greater strides in the contemporary art world?
Greece has remarkable creators. If we believe more in contemporary creativity and collaborate with one another, it can achieve an even stronger international presence.
When we see someone moved by a work of art without saying a single word. That is when we understand that art has already done its work.
What do you love most about the art world, and what do you find most challenging?
When we see someone moved by a work of art without saying a single word. That is when we understand that art has already done its work.
What would your dream project be?
To create a place where art, architecture, and nature coexist so naturally that visitors cannot tell where one ends and the other begins. We have future plans that we are currently developing, as the space is still very new.
Which exhibition has stayed with you the most, and why?
The one that made me leave different from the way I entered. You do not remember great exhibitions because you saw them. You remember them because they changed you.
What is your personal definition of beauty?
Beauty is what needs no explanation.
What does authenticity mean to you today?
Stay true to who you are, even when the world invites you to become someone else.
Photographer: Spyros Plesiotis
North to South Journal | Greece Wedding, Elopement & Couple Portrait Photographer
@othenelementalaesthetics
