ABOUT
I was born and grew up in Greece, at the crossroads of the mysticism of the East and the positivism of the West. I studied Mathematics but I took up art - in which I have been involved since I was a child - as my profession and a way of living. At the age of fourteen I became acquainted with the art of mosaic and since then I grow through and along with it. Since 2012, I create mosaic artwork for both private and public spaces, deliver workshops and seminars as well as develop and implement community projects.
The materials mostly used in my artworks are stained glass, italian smalti, all kinds of tesserae, ceramic tiles and mosaic adornments. I work on surfaces made of wood, metal and glass, having a preference for those I create myself from building materials. I use bright colors, traditional patterns and archetypal symbols, emphasizing lines and geometric shapes.
The mosaic constitutes a dynamic space of expression, offering me the letters, word, grammar and syntax to communicate whatever needs to be said. The materials' qualities abundantly vary. They may be hard, soft, transparent, opaque, smooth, rough, shiny, hazy, as if they were part of the four elements; Air, Earth, Fire and Water. Size scales, possible shapes and textures are also unlimited.
deconstruction (through the cutting of the materials) and an act of reconstruction (through their synthesis) is performed. This, when the work is completed, gives a sense of restoration of a lost order, aesthetics and meaning. Each artwork has its own appearance, vibration, conveyed meaning. But all mosaics send a common message: they stand for the powerful, harmonious unity of different elements.
My work focuses on the art deriving its meaning from its offering to mankind. I deeply believe that art, and the creative process, heals, strengthens and empowers people and communities, bringing them closer to their free, strong and true selves. It is the noble stamp of the human spirit on earth and, as such, it has the potential to reconnect the alienated human being with his/her unique spirituality.
Kalliopi Kalaitzidou
For me the creative process is a ritual and a game at the same time, bringing in touch joy and wisdom. It is an internal dialogue that is concluded when becoming external. In the creation of a mosaic, both an act of