Anna Mavromatis: Romancing the Myth
In her newest show, Anna Mavromatis uses storytelling as a powerful tool to impart the essence of belonging, to voice the trauma of loss, and to demonstrate resilience as her ancestors reinvented themselves to overcome challenges and achieve survival.
Anna Mavromatis's work is deeply intertwined with the rich tradition of storytelling that shaped her upbringing in Greece. Growing up, she saw storytelling as a metaphorical window that allowed her to witness and understand the complex emotions of life-from the turmoil of torrential storms to the serenity of sunlit landscapes. The women in her family used storytelling as a powerful tool to impart the essence of belonging, to voice the trauma of loss, and to demonstrate resilience as they reinvented themselves to overcome challenges and achieve survival.
behind bars, 2023. Hand crumpled magazine pages, hand formed paper blossoms, stitching. 34.5in x 23in x 5in
Today, storytelling is an integral part of Mavromatis's artistic practice, manifesting quite literally in her hands as she works. She sees her mission as narrating the journeys that women have take-and continue to take-to reach either expected or self-chosen destinations. However, instead of using words, Mavromatis conveys these narratives through objects that reflect heritage and longstanding traditions. Her "sentences" are formed by the deliberate pairing of drawing techniques, each subconsciously influenced by the mood of the moment. The tone of her "voice" is conveyed through the rhythm of her compositions, the emotions layered within them, and the echoes of her grandfather's voice, which seamlessly transitioned from reciting Homer to chanting Byzantine hymns.
