I am eager to develop my work as a recipient of the Jonathan Vickers Fine Art Award, as I know that the public engagement, site-specificity and professional development opportunities involved will expand my practice through different historical and environmental backgrounds, while enriching my deep connection to the landscape and its diverse atmospheres.
My research is focused on bridging the dichotomy between urban construction and the natural environment. My artworks, combining printmaking and sculpture, merge organic forms with the strict perfection and precision of geometry, as a symbol of the humanmade and artificial. Working as a response to the distinctive ecological character of Derbyshire will allow me to question the boundaries between nature and culture further and expand my research incorporating site-specificity related to a predominantly rural county.
Audience engagement is an element I have been exploring continuously through the creation of interactive artworks and by pursuing commissions on the public realm including my latest project, shortlisted by the Royal Society of Sculptors for the First Plinth Award. As I am deeply curious to learn new ways to interact with the community, I envisage the opportunity of working on outreach projects as a time of communication and sharing. Having prior experience in lecturing at CSM during my MA, as well as the Athens School of Fine Arts, the teaching opportunities offered by the University of Derby are of great significance to me. I would be keen to deliver a series of workshops on drawing, printmaking or sculpture techniques. Moreover, having support towards organising public outcomes at the Mall Galleries and the Derby Museum, will enable me to critique my work within a wider context.
Inspired by the theme ‘A Sense of Place’, I will be developing my ideas around two different methods: studio-based work and walking practices. I will start with a series walks mapping the unseen biodiversity of Derbyshire. More specifically,I would be keen to visit Peak District National Park and collect information on types of soil, minerals and plants using photographs and texts. Compartmentalisation, seriality and close observation are integral to my methodology. The creation of this abstract map, this index of everything I will encounter will form an archive, which could take the shape of a series of handmade books.
In parallel to this research, I will be developing a body of work combining printmaking and drawing to capture the atmosphere of Derbyshire’s diverse landscapes and heritage, inspired by my numerous walks and research on the region’s history. A combination of printmaking with minimalistic sculptural forms, could also take place. Having access to support within University of Derby not only can provide me with the means to develop new skills, but also with the opportunity to discuss with mentors, creating a collective environment where conversation is key.
It would be timely to have the support of theJonathan Vickers Fine Art Award. The Banks Mill Studios community will offer a stimulating environment allowing me to focus entirely on my practice. I plan on introducing the notions of learning,conversationand site-specificity into the creation of a new body of work. I believe that my very specific point of view, as well as my excitement to broaden it will be a valuable contribution to the Award.
Eleni Maragaki is a visual artist born in Athens, Greece. She studied Painting in the Athens School of Fine Arts (2013-2018) and MA Fine Art in Central Saint Martins, UAL (2020-2022), as a recipient of the Mona Hatoum Bursaries Award. She is a member of the Royal Society of Sculptors and a finalist for the First Plinth: Public Art Award. She has taken part in numerous exhibitions including a screening in LUX Moving Image, a group show in the Art Station Dubulti in Latvia and the Shijiazhuang Youth Art Biennale in Hebei, China. She is the winner of the 2023 TATE Christmas Card Competition and the Muse Gallery Residency Award. One of her latest projects was public commission for a light installation by Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Her work is focused on the exploration of the meeting points between urban construction and the natural environment.
See artist CV on the link below:
https://elenimaragaki.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CV-ELENI_MARAGAKI.pdf
