Manos Dimitrakis

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Self-Portrait as Fayum Mummy Portrait, 2019
encaustic on birch plywood panel, 15 x 9.5 inches

Tell us about the work that you have submitted.
Impressed by Fayum mummy portraits and their historical content, I was motivated to use encaustic techniques to create a contemporary self-portrait that would work as a time bridge between ancient and present times under the umbrella of Hellenistic identification of a society that assimilates the diversity of cultures.

How would you describe your studio practice?
My studio practice focuses on exploration of the diversity of artistic media (from painting and printmaking to film and video) and their potential combination in order to provide aesthetic and conceptual proposals. I initiate and witness the alteration of traditional methods, offering new perspectives, and expanding ideas within the contemporary world.

What about figurative work do you find particularly interesting?
I find particularly interesting the figurative artwork that explores the psychology of human nature, questioning its existence and has a poetic approach in its expression. In that context, the figure escapes the limitations of time and history, breaks the labels of origins, norms, and social restrictions by reflecting every human in every time.

Website: www.manosart.net
Instagram: @manosdms