La Petite Mort Gallery presents..

ONE NIGHT ONLY Exhibit

JOHANNA STAVRAKAKI

Vernissage: Friday April 16, 2011 / 7 - 10pm
Tunes by Big Mac Daddy
Proudly sponsored by CKCU 93.1 FM

Life; a multifaceted voyage. The work of Johanna Stavrakaki is  
undoubtedly a testament to this journey. Though her stylistic  
techniques pay homage to that of Fauvism and its key players,  
Stavrakaki’s personal relationship to her body of work is profoundly  
ingrained in the artists’ own journeys abroad; a time of thorough  
self-discovery. Through saturated colours and erratic brush work,  
Stavrakaki’s personal anguish is translated to pure aesthetic  
narrative. She explains “ My work reveals my inner self…(I’m)  
wrestling with paint, shaping ideas, sometimes free-falling, picking  
up again, but always making it to the finish line”. By visually  
depicting her raw creative process, Stavrakaki allows the viewer to  
create his/her own discourse with the work. Ultimately, the viewer is  
taken on a voyage though the imagery of the composition, allowing him/ 
her to momentarily loose themselves in Stavrakaki’s rendition of  
this chaotic life we lead. -Caidleigh Murphy, 2011

Artist Statement:
My art is a reflection of my life, and that of others. My creative  
process is an exhilarating experience. Through perseverance and  
passion I strive to construct meaningful images that are colourful  
and dramatic.

As I work in the studio I relive life's challenges and victories. My  
work reveals my inner self. Each decision I make is shaped by my  
intent to express my subjected reality. My works are there, all at  
once, though much has happened in their making: wrestling with paint,  
shaping ideas, sometimes free-falling, picking up again, but always  
making it to the finish line.

During the creation of these works, I was going through a lot of  
inner turmoil. Many of these pieces are actually from the time when I  
was abroad in Europe, Italy, Spain and the United States. when I look  
at a subject or my subject matter my eyes break down the shadows into  
shapes of dark and colour. I am very much influenced my the  
fauvists , Picasso and expressionism with a hint of realism. I like  
to change what I see.- Johanna Stavrakaki, 2011


FACEBOOK INVITE: http://www.facebook.com/event.php? 
eid=193274104045652&index=1

Thank you,
Christina Anastassopoulos, art consiglieri
La Petite Mort Gallery
306 Cumberland St.
Ottawa, ON K1N 7H9
www.lapetitemortgallery.com