DAY BY DAY
‘Day by Day’ – Olympia Antoniadis
1 – 13 September 2020
EXHIBITION VIDEO WALKTHROUGH: Watch on IGTV
Day by Day is a contemplation on the passage of time and is a rite of passage initself for artist, Olympia Antoniadis.
Olympia’s intricate paintings use flowers as a ‘Memento mori’ (Latin: ‘remember that you must die’); a symbolic reminder of the inevitability of our mortality. Rather than being morbid, ‘Memento mori’ can be used to invigorate life, and to create priority and meaning in the withering decay of the subject. It’s gift to us, a reminder not to waste time.
Olympia finds beauty in the tender decomposition of the flower and arranges her subjects as to reflect on her personal experiences with grief and loss. ‘Day by Day’ serves as an awareness to the fragility of life, bidding us to be more mindful and have reverence for the moments on the journey. Every stage of the flower’s life, from bud to full-bursting bloom, through the inevitable wilting and decay is beautiful. Seen through the eyes of observer’s heart – a dying flower is exquisitely mesmerising.
“‘Day by Day’ is about capturing a moment in time – time passing – and the savouring of life after death. These paintings are reflections, exploring ideas of change, decay and healing. They build on a progressive narrative from my previous works, Solace – albeit, exploring an evolving state of mind. Intrinsically, the simple act of changing the colour of my studio walls evokes new connections and possibilities.
In this body of work, I develop a mood that represents the seasonal and episodic motion of life. Each arrangement forms its own identity embodying my personal experiences with loss, grief and heartbreak. They are about slowing down, appreciating and finding hope in the fragility and precarious balance of life.”
Emerging Adelaide artist, Olympia Antoniadis has completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts, painting at the Victorian College of Arts in 2015. Her most recent works uncover her personal experience with life, death and the grieving process. Olympia uses flowers as symbols and metaphors to explore the traditional genre of ‘Memento mori’ in a contemporary light. Traditionally, a ‘Memento mori’ is an artistic or symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death. The expression ‘memento mori’ developed with the growth of Christianity, which emphasized Heaven, Hell, and salvation of the soul in the afterlife.
In 2019 Antoniadis was runner up for the Belle Emerging art prize where her work was displayed in the Gallery of NSW and a finalist in the EMSLA painting prize. This spring, we are excited to present Olympia’s first Sydney solo show.
For more information, please contact: info[at]saintcloche.com