“ I am passionate about painting…”
Paul Zimmerman in conversation with Marina Koraki
PZ: Many of your works are related to nature and cosmos. Why these subjects are important for you?
MK: I’ve always been concerned with humanity and how things always ‘worked’ on our planet. That’s what I’m trying to discover through my art, basic terms of existence. Οne of my most basic quests is to understand what psyche is. How the thickened energy becomes material, how the curvature of time enhances this sensation, and how do we end up comprehend time in the three dimensional matrix, through the common code of math regulations that rule Universe Cosmos. Nature is the mirror of Cosmos over Earth… For now I comprehend the existence of psyche as a light vibration and I’m trying to depict it by using archetypal and philosophical symbols with Art Deco influences.”
PZ: What is your artistic process? How do you create your paintings?
MK: Just because I am passionate about painting and the actual process of painting, of how a two-dimensional surface can become a window for three or more dimensions, a basic key component of my creative process is the ‘scientific’ approach of my subject. I do a lot of study over symbolism, psychology, quantum physics and philosophy, concentrating more on Greek ancient philosophy. Regarding the implementation of my ‘incorporeal’ ideas I dive into the creativity process using various paths through color and mixed media, combining the final visualization of the artwork set in my mind with my inner unconscious guidance.
PZ: Do you have any particular goal in mind when your start a new piece?
MK: Yes, being able to communicate the biggest part of my ideas, of my feelings, without losing the originality of my artistic language.
PZ: How do you know when the painting is finished?
MK: Quite a difficult question to answer because… I’d put it as inner feeling of fulfillment and harmony…
PZ: Has your practice changed over time?
MK: Oh, yes, it evolves as we tend to evolve as human consciousness.
PZ: Which artists are you most influenced by?
MK: Difficult to tell… I’m very influenced by the ancient Greek architecture and art. As for favorite artists I would distinguish Nicolaos Gyzis, Angelos, Gustav Klimt. PZ: How would you define yourself as an artist?
MK: As a symbolist. PZ: What are you working on now? MK: I have two projects I’m working on. The first one called Mesmerizing is a next step after the Cosmic Sea series, a study over the Big Bang Theory. The second project called Re-Renaissance is a study over the redefinition humanity needs to make, after the ethical crisis born after the pandemic in global terms of existence.
PZ: How did the pandemic influence your work and sensibility?
MK: What hurt me the most and made me reconsider many of my art projects is how fear blindly woke the sleeping “monster” inside us…For me it’s urgent for all of as to remember how to appreciate beauty, love, unity in order to find harmony in our truth…