Thrasyvoulos Kalaitzidis

Statement

 

My installations consist of enlarged everyday objects made out of foam. Using a symbolic vocabulary I build a visual pun, a metaphor which draws parallel lines between our world and the realm of objects.

The main material I use is soft polyurethane foam because I enjoy its easiness and malleability. Everyone knows what foam feels like and we have spent a lot of time in our lives sitting or sleeping on it but we are not accustomed to its unexpected use as a raw material in sculpture. Following a practice of recycling through art, I only use foam remnants that I glue together and then work with subtraction to reveal the desired shape. Due to its softness, foam allows the surrealist qualities of everyday objects to emerge, transforming the space into a playground for the unconscious mind.

The objects I choose to depict are linked to a very distinct functionality which they no longer maintain as symbols. Instead they function as distant memories or whimsical images that speak to the world of emotions.