About the Artists
"OPEN MINDED" Group Exhibition Artists
Anne-Kristin Vaudour, Hong Kong
"Inspired by the countless fairy tale books I immersed myself into as a child, it was my greatest dream to become a magician and have all my wishes fulfilled by snipping a finger or saying a magic spell. Growing up, I had to realise that it doesn’t quite work that way.
I still loved to dwell in fantasy worlds and meet fancy characters. Soon I started to create my own worlds and creatures, using coloured pencils and later oil paint. My canvas became my magic wand where everything was possible with a free flow of imagination.
In my adult life reality took over and I started to work as a manger for corporate companies, never loosing sight of my artistic passion. Only about 2 years ago, I finally became a full time artist.
My pop surrealist figurative painting focuses on fantasy worlds and imaginary creatures. My background in fashion & costume design and children book illustration, combined with my love for the old masters, fairy tales and Asian tradition result in creating a blend of classic storytelling, fashion magazine advertising and Surrealism. My goal is to provoke the viewer to see beyond our conventional perception of reality.
My art is an exploration of my inner world. I create things that I wish would exist. I also want to tell a story to entertain the viewer, just like everyone loves a good story".
Anne was born in 1974, in the former East Germany. She studied Journalism and PR in Shanghai and Children Book Illustration and Oil Painting in Italy. For most of her career, she worked in luxury retail in Hong Kong and Singapore, where she is currently residing.
Just about 2 years ago, Anne had the opportunity to quit her corporate job in luxury retail to finally realise her long desired dream of becoming an artist.
For Anne the bizarre beauty and dreamy world of Pop Surrealism provides the perfect outlet to give shape to her imaginary world. That’s why she adopted this genre for her artwork. Anne paints in oil on canvas, using the traditional technique of the old masters that she acquired during her studies in Italy. Recently she is producing digital artwork.
Among others, Anne’s artwork has been exhibited at the ANIMA MUNDI Festival during the Biennale in Venice, the London Contemporary International Art Fair and the Asia Contemporary Art Show in Hong Kong. Recently, her artwork has been shown at The Hive Spring as part of the Le French May festival.
Arzu Arslan, Turkey
"As I started Çini (Traditional Turkish Iznik Ceramics), the traditional art in which Turks have been using the similar motifs for 600 years, I realized that it was time to integrate these motifs into today's modern designs with the help of ceramic forms. First, I changed the colors. Changing the colors changed the design as well. They become more sophisticated and this is a welcomed sign recognized by the authorities. Secondly, I wanted to adapt Turkish symbols used such as in rugs, carpets, fabrics, mosques, palaces etc I searched for the meanings of symbols, Turkish mithology, epics and finally The Orhun Inscriptions. The Orhun Inscriptions affected me so much that I decided to use these inscriptions. In my works, I combined traditional Turkish symbols with the inscriptions in The Old Turkic alphabet (Göktürk Alphabet). Especially I love to use woman symbols. I plan to use old alphabet with Ottoman motifs in my new works.
My goal is to add emotion to 600 years old motifs with my colors, with modern ceramic forms; to open a new turnout in Çini by using 3000 years old Turkish Culture and esoteric symbolism. Mostly, I use black, red and Turkish Blue: Turqoise in my works . Black was ignored in Çini for ages. I believe that these colors and symbols will start a new era.
I’m deeply in love with this art, loosing myself while working. Everytime i find myself thinking or searching symbols to create new designs. Changing the general perception for traditional arts by creatingtradicontemporaryartwork is what I am trying to accomplish".
Arzu was born in 14th of January 1975 in Ankara, Turkey. After graduated from Yukselis College in 1993, she studied Business Administration in Anatolia University – Eskisehir. She graduated in 1998 and started her finance career at Akbank this year. For 10 years she worked in various departments. She quited her finance career in 2008. Since 2010 she has been attending to State’s various art courses such as ceramics and Traditional Turkish Ceramic Art: Çini , also she has got private lessons from çini artists . She is participating in art auctions in Turkey in wellknown art galleries.
Ashly Sypherd, USA
"Power wears many masks. These works explore how power may present yourself in expected and unexpected ways. Within African tradition, Purple symbolizes passion, spirituality, and wealth in all aspects of life. Find yourselves and your power within these works, as I find myself."
Ashly Sypherd is a BIPOC multimedia collage artist working with organic and inorganic materials. Her work seeks to bridge the gap between the natural and artificial, the conscious and subconscious, the body and the spirit.
As a current graduate student, community worker, and applied behavioral therapist, she works from a socio-racial perspective to challenge the impersonal as the interpersonal. Originally from Upland, California (approximately 30 miles from Los Angeles) racial disparities were glaring. This sparked her desire to look inward as well as outward through her medium. Every piece is created based on her emotional state; she's guided by her feelings.
She currently is working with Its-In-Scope and their fellowship cohort to re-imagine a future that delineates and challenges the hegemonic ways of knowing and being that are so pervasive in the United States. After graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a sociology degree, Ashly sought to socially uplift her community with her table talk, The Ebony Table. Coupling social justice and art, she is currently creating an art collective with local artists. Her work is highly personal and tells a tale from an individualistic communal perspective.
Cristina Ciccone, UK
Cristina Ciccone is a northern artist currently living and working in South London. She studied an MA at Chelsea College of Art and Design and a PGCE in Art and Design Education at Goldsmiths College, London. She currently works in art education alongside her practise.
Her current work explores our relationship and reconnection with the concept and physicality of the 'Home' in both its tangible and emotional states, through use of wallpaper print taken directly from the home environment, alongside layered organic forms –Her most recent ‘Surbiton Hill Series” was created during lockdown where 'Home' was finally made accessible to many of us who have failed to experience its' rewards and challenges with such intensity in 'normal' everyday life.
Christina Geoghegan, Ireland
"I'm an Irish artist interested in the psychology of colour and landscape. The time in the Netherlands completing a BA in Fine Art instigated my interest in changing urban spaces to engage and impact the perceiver through landscapes.
The ongoing series depict the environment and its direct influence on people in the space. These Artworks explore the introspective moments in galleries and the threshold of the public space and the ambiguity between observer and art."
Ekaterina Nikidis, Russia
"I always emphasise the decorative side of my artworks. But as is often the case in life, behind the luxury cover there is something that one had particularly carefully wanted to hide. Perhaps only the detail will tell you this. And the thing which is usually considered a simple decoration can also be important. I let an ordinary addition play a major role and watch it change along with its status.
The best moments are painful because they will never happen again. The beauty captured in my artworks has never existed at all — it is just a game of consciousness transferred to the material. It is an illusion created with a longing for the past or the never-past.
The figures of the artworks are connected by thin threads of mutual stories. I suggest to the viewer discover them. What are they: some fancy jewellery or a tear disguised as a pearl in gold? I left the question open.
Can art be decorative, but conceal a layer of ideas and be a source for thoughts at the same time? I want to prove that it can. Just let’s see more behind a cover.
I do pay a lot of attention to aesthetics and the concept of beauty. And there is another reason for that. There is a lot of problems and darkness in the world around us. Many artists focus on them. But I think that it is also important to show an alternative. It is important to offer a positive path, and not just condemn reality. So, in addition to philosophy, my art is just the territory of a beautiful life. And I believe that we all need to visit this place sometimes".
Ekaterina started her creative path in 2007 with a private course in academic drawing. She wanted to go into the arts because she could never imagine living without creating anything. In the early period, it was difficult for her to choose a technique and style, as well as determine the direction of her creativity. She was also attracted to the ability to influence the world through design.
She received a degree in computer graphics in 2009. For 8 years she was involved in graphic design for business — she first worked in the Advertising Department of a trading company, then she was a freelance designer.
2016-2018 years she spent in jewellery, most of all for learning different techniques. She also received a degree in jewellery from the Art Lyceum named after K. Faberge.
She studied a lot of art history on her own and then entered the Department of art history and theory at the St. Petersburg Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture.
So after studying art, design, and history, working with different materials, combining knowledge and techniques from various fields, she finally came to the stage of a stable creating her own concepts and art objects.
Nowadays Ekaterina is a full-time self-employed artist. She creates series of graphics and paintings, jewellery designs, engravings on metal, installations.