In conversation with painter and Chelsea alumni Stella Kapezanou

How was studying in London?

I grew up and studied a five-year BA in Athens, at the Athens School of Fine Arts, moving to London for my MA at Chelsea College of Arts. Both cities and academic approaches are great and very different. In Athens, excellence in skills and a deep knowledge of art history are essential. In London, it’s mostly about research and contextualization in relation to contemporary practice. I feel lucky that I have been exposed to so many different disciplines. Something I didn’t have in Athens, and I assume nowhere else in Europe, is the opportunity to leave the studio and go straight to an art exhibition opening, where I could meet legendary artists in person. In London I had the chance to meet and chat with Grayson Perry, Alex Katz, Gilbert & George, David Lachapelle, David Salle and many more, but the highlight for me was Frank Bowling visiting my studio twice.

Can you tell us about your own practice? Has your practice changed since your MA?

Well, it evolves. During lockdown I made a shift from directing with tableau vivant techniques and photorealism to a more sensitive, tender and discreet form in its meanings. I focused on skin, female curves, breasts and nudes, with the power of female empowerment becoming the central aspect of my painting; removing the male figure and presence that could be found in my previous works. Also, in the last 2 years alongside my paintings I worked with ceramics, producing objects that echo common motifs and aesthetics seen throughout my practice.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I’m mostly interested in critiquing decadence, picturing modern lifestyles predicated on opulence and consumerism. To create each tableau, I select a location, direct the subject and photograph actors creating my imaginary scenes. The eccentric individuals pictured in my works are often locked in complicated exchanges, scenarios into which the viewer is uncomfortably plunged. My figures are often framed by landscapes that evoke wallpaper and surrounded by symbolic objects, mysterious animals and elaborate elements. This allows the uncanny and the imaginary to become an extension of reality, creating a depiction of the world that is not as it truly is but as I want it to be perceived.

You’ve been awarded the Fulbright artist scholarship…Congratulations! Could you tell us more about it?

I received a Fulbright award for the Greek Artist Residency program at Santa Fe Art Institute, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This award is granted by the United States Department of State with the approval of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board upon the recommendation of the United States Educational Foundation in Greece (the Fulbright Foundation in Greece). The theme for the 2024 SFAI Thematic Residency is Sovereignty, the core topic of my research over the past few years. Specifically, I aim to explore questions of gender and bodily autonomy through my paintings, examining Sovereignty as a power sourced from the female body.

Any project / piece you are currently working on?

For the last 2 years I’ve been working on large-scale canvases where the female body dominates the composition, with self-assured figures who assert themselves with poise and pride. The positioning of their naked or partially naked bodies, along with the sulky or arrogant expression on the faces of the individuals portrayed, emphasises the uncertain motives that exist in present-day interpersonal connections.

With pop aesthetics and caustic humour I want to criticise the male dominance while praising vulnerability and leaning into irony.