Greek visual artist Vassilis Selimas combines classical figurative representation with modern elements and surrealism. He employs a painterly approach that invites viewers to delve into deeper narratives and emotions. His works tell rich visual stories, highlighting the dynamic relationship between individuals and their surroundings. They are characterized by a remarkable realism focusing on the human body to depict the inner mental state of his subjects.
Vassilis Selimas is also well known for his immersive book illustrations and significant contribution to the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (2023), as the festival’s official poster bore his signature.
Vassilis Selimas was born in 1983. He studied at the School of Fine Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has held several solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions. His works are featured in private collections both in Greece and abroad. Since 2016, he has been working as an illustrator for many publishing houses (Pataki, Ikaros, Kaktos).
Vassilis Selimas talks to Greek News Agenda* about the metaphysical aspects of reality and art and the paradox of human behavior.
Your works are predominantly figurative bearing, however, strong symbolic and metaphysical elements. How are these elements balanced in your paintings?
They balance just as they do in our lives. If we closely observe ourselves and others, we will realize that that’s how life is. The metaphysical element can be found everywhere; in ourselves, in nature, in our partner or child. What I endeavor to capture in my works is the way I see life.
What are the themes that concern you as a contemporary visual artist?
I’ve always been interested in human behavior; the paradox in relationships, the loneliness of modern man, and the family that initially shapes us. I approach these matters either by distorting or embellishing them.
What is the role of AI, street art, comics and video games in art nowadays?
As far as I am concerned, art is where it has always been. It is just that we have more numerous and diverse means at our disposal. These new means can only be complementary to the creation of art.
Nevertheless, aesthetically speaking, I see more and more visually illiterate people. Although they are exposed to various forms of art, more than ever before, I would say that the average person enjoys art momentarily from a consumer’s point of view, without delving into the spiritual aspect of it. Regarding comics and street art, their aesthetic has strongly influenced my art and artistic development.
Your visual universe seems fragmentary and heartbreaking. This element is even more intense given that most of your works feature children as protagonists. Are you really that pessimistic? What role do children play in your works?
I would like to be more optimistic. However, the challenges we face nowadays do not help much. Sometimes, though, I feel that I am much more optimistic than those who show off their optimism and joy. Different parts of me are reflected in my work. I like to think that tenderness prevails over pessimism. In my art, children function as a time capsule; each of us can step into their world and remember our younger selves, whatever that may mean to each one of us.
How do you experience the book illustration process?
It is a very beautiful thing to be given the opportunity to paint in tandem with another person’s text and ideas. You go from being a solitary artist to a collaborator, diving creatively into words and coexisting with another artist. You get to tame the narcissism, big or small, that an artist often has. Over the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with extraordinary writers and great people in the publishing sector.
*Interview by Dora Trogadi
Intro Photos: Left: Vassilis Selimas (Photo credits: Andreas Simopoulos) Right: Inner Child
TAGS: ARTS
