MARTHA ZMPOUNOU
Most of my works are developed through a process of trial and error where parts of an image emerge out of painting and repainting. It is a seemingly circular sequence of acts, some of which resemble destruction. This mode of work tends to blur or even erase the finish line. Instead of a line, the completion becomes a distinct territory, a temporal space. On one end of it, artworks remain largely unfinished inviting the viewer to complete the narrative. One the other, works become borderline overworked, layer after layer, a curious visual palimpsest. This is the space where a sense of self in a work can grow, and realization comes often long after completion.
“In my work chance breeds intention. Quite often there is always an element of ‘surprise’ and a sense of apparent randomness, which are important to my process, along with more controlled experimentations and explorations on the possibilities of my media.”
I like to source images in vintage markets or shops and stalls such as the Camden passage Islington, or from any other unexpected places. I also have a large archive of family photos I might use as a starting point for my works.
When working on my monotypes, I often start with some preliminary rough sketches or collages to get an idea of my composition. Then I paint directly on lightweight acetate or found plastic sheets with watercolors. A final piece might be an outcome of many layers printed one on top pf the other. Instead of using a press, every layer is hand-printed, as this allows me to manually adjust the pressure and control the outcome.
For my watercolours or Face studies series, I might start by warming up with playful abstract applications of color in pools of water, playing with the effects and looking to ‘discover’ my pieces rather than create them. A favorite abstract mark might be the starting point of a representational painting in a later stage. In general, I usually work from the generic to the specific.
Martha Zmpounou holds a degree in Fine arts and an MA in Painting from Aristotle University of Fine arts (Greece), an MA from Central Saint Martin’s College of Art (UK) and a PgCert in Academic Practice from UAL.
Martha has been awarded several awards including the Cass Art award, the Winsor & Newton award, the Michael Harding Watercolour Award, the St Cuthbert Mill watercolor prize, the De Laszlo Foundation Award from the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, and she was shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize and the Ashurst Emerging artist Prize. Martha was one of the 2023 Delphian Open Call winners and her work has been exhibited and published widely in the UK, Sweden, Germany and Greece. Some of her exhibitions in the UK include the Royal Watercolour Society annual exhibition, Jerwood Drawing Price, the Royal society of Portrait Painters, the Royal Institute of Watercolor Painters, The Sunday Times Watercolor Exhibition, the Royal Society of British artists, The Threadneedle Prize, and the Discerning Eye Exhibition. Her work was selected to be published several times at Aesthetica’s annuals, Creative Works, ArtMaze Magazine, The Untitled Magazine, and Create Magazine.