Arts Thread

Pavlos Liaretidis
Studio Art MFA

MICA Maryland Institute College of Art

Graduates: 2024

Specialisms: Installation/Sculpture / Printmaking / Drawing

My location: New York, United States

pavlos-liaretidis ArtsThread Profile
MICA Maryland Institute College of Art

Pavlos Liaretidis

pavlos-liaretidis ArtsThread Profile

First Name: Pavlos

Last Name: Liaretidis

University / College: MICA Maryland Institute College of Art

Course / Program: Studio Art MFA

Graduates: 2024

Specialisms: Installation/Sculpture / Printmaking / Drawing

My Location: New York, United States

Website: Click To See Website

About

IN MY RECENT WORK I HAVE BEEN EXAMINING THE VALUE OF LIFE. MY PIECES ARE THEMATICALLY DRIVEN FROM SOCIAL ISSUES THAT PLAGUE PLACES IN WHICH I HAVE LIVED. I AM ALSO CONCERNED WITH TRAUMATIC SOCIAL INJUSTICES IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPHERE SUCH AS, POLITICALLY IRRESPONSIBLE POSITIONS LEAD TO CRIMINAL ACTIONS OR INACTIONS THAT END IN DISASTER. MY ARTWORKS ARE STAND-ALONE SCULPTURES OR SCULPTURES SYNTHESIZED INTO INSTALLATIONS. I FREQUENTLY INCORPORATE TWO-DIMENSIONAL ART SUCH AS DRAWINGS ON PAPER, PRINTS AND TEXT-BASED WORKS INTO THESE ENVIRONMENTS. ALTHOUGH MY PIECES CONCEPTUALLY ADDRESS CONFOUNDING MAJOR ISSUES OF CURRENT AFFAIRS, THEY NEVER CEASE TO BE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTS ABOUT LIFE, DEATH AND EVOLUTION OPERATING ON BOTH PERSONAL AND UNIVERSAL LEVELS. IN VISUAL LANGUAGE, MY WORKS ARE A CONSTANT SEARCH FOR MATERIALS AND COMPOSITIONS. I AM INTERESTED IN THE VARIOUS SYMBOLISMS THAT EACH MATERIAL MAY ALREADY BEAR, AS WELL AS THE SYMBOLISM IT MIGHT DEVELOP THROUGH MY OWN PROCESSING AND PLACEMENT.

About a life

"About a Life" is a series of five asphaltic sculptures featuring a flat base and representational figures. Four sculptures are based on scanned roadkill, while one uses a scan of a human body. Made from black "cold-mix asphalt concrete," the sculptures merge figures with the ground, highlighting a contrast between physical presence and metaphorical absence. The use of monochromatic black emphasizes themes of death and the impact of human actions on nature. The varying placements of the figures explore visual balance and encourage reflection on the value of life and death, prompting viewers to consider humanity's role in environmental and existential issues.