Premio Combat Prize

From the very first time I touched paint, I knew that I wanted to do something in my life with it. It was an uphill battle, to be able to conquer it! Experimented, cried, laughed and eventually got to the point where I was able to paint on canvas images that moved me. That penetrated deep into onlookers soul's and touch them. Images that many have said "I can't get your paintings out of my head." This is what I wanted to achieve and even though at times I feel I do, other times I feel that the battle is still uphill.
For the last 6years I have painted the following concepts:
It has been a journey from my first series "No Man's Land" to "In Man's Land". My first series 'No Man's Land' is about being in between two countries; Australia and Greece. In Australia, I am Greek, in Greece I am Australian. For most of my life, I have known two countries. However, I spent the majority of it in Australia. Born and raised in Australia by immigrant parents, I could not help to have the feeling of not belonging embedded in my subconscious. It may have been my father's words that “one day we would return to Greece”, to his country, his fatherland that evoked feelings of displacement. Something that i will never seem to get over. This emotion is something that I carried and carry with me for a very long time and represented in the body of paintings; 'No Man's Land'. It is also important to be able to recognize the natural need of a human being to find a place to belong to, a place where there is no emotion of "No Man's Land".
Three years later and evolved, 'In Man's Land' took over. This series does not have nomadic people. My figures are yes, at times wandering but have adapted to their surrounding environment and have a less turmoil reaction to their environment. This journey of paintings has settled within myself the upsets of identity, belonging and acceptance. The figures are larger and dominant. They no longer hide, or chose not to be seen front on. The figures are proud standing tall. The environment and it's landscapes can be dominating but now they seem less intimidating. You can still carry with you the thought of displacement and the emotion of 'No Man's Land,' but 'In Man's Land' has no insecurities of contemplation and doubt, they have softened into having destination and a path to follow. 'In Man's Land' stands stronger and determined to belong no matter where you may be in your life. Taking time, looking down at all I see, open your eyes to a place where we all can belong to no matter....
Chrisoula Roboras CV +30 210 8012385, +30 6946550592 chryssigirl@hotmail.com
www.chrysroboras.com
1972, Sydney Australia.
Studies
Certificate in Fine Arts at the Seaforth Tafe College, 1992 Sydney Australia
Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in Fine Arts and Technology at AKTO (Middlesex University-England) 2008.
Achievements
2007 First prize in the Hewlett Pakard art competition, July. Work published in the Athens Voice issue July 19-25 2007, second cover.
2009 Represented at GO Gallery, Jordaan, Amsterdam. www.gogallery.nl/roboras
2010 Featured in the program “Technes Plus” on the Info Channel ERT Digital, Talking about “No Man’s Land”
2010 Short listed for the Annual Open Exhibition at Cork Street Gallery, London August
2010 Paintings "Departed have left no address" and "Don't look back" from No Man's Land series featured on music book covers for Thanassis Moraitis, produced by Panas Music, Papagrigoriou - Nakas October
2011 Award of Honourable Mention and Merit in Art at the Biennale of Chianciano Tuscany, Italy
2012 Award of Honourable Mention in the 3rd Artavita competition, www.artavita.com
2012 Included in the book, International Contemporary Masters Volume 5
2012 Featured in Access Arts Network, http://www.artists2artists.net/ November
2012 -2013 Represented at Gallery 7, Athens Greece www.gallery7.gr
2013 Award of Special recognition in the 4th Artavita competition, www.artavita.com
Solo exhibitions
2009 “No Man’s Land” at the Apothiki Art Gallery Kastro, Parikia, Paros, Cyclades, Greece
2010 “No Man's Land” Kaplanon5 Gallery, Kolonaki, Athens ,Greece
2011 "In Man's Land" at the Icosahedron Gallery, New York
2013 "In Man's Land" at Gallery 7, Kolonaki Athens, Greece
Group exhibitions
2008 Exhibition at the college of AKTO part of the (University of Middlesex-England), graduation exhibit
2008 IPAC (International Paros Art Circle) Parikia Paros, Cyclades
2009 Winter exhibition at GO Gallery in Jordaan, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2009 Showcase of Original Arts, at the ATExcelixi Conference Center, Kastri, Proceeds donated to Charity Athens, Greece.
2009 Finding Beauty in a Broken World: In the Spirit of Frida Kahlo. The Joan Hisaoka Arts Gallery, Washington, DC USA.
2009 The 2nd Annual Open Exhibition, The Cork Street Gallery, 28 Cork Street, London
2009 Open Doors, Thission Lofts, Gazi, Athens, Greece
2010 "The Odyssey Within" Agora Gallery, New York
2010 Art Athina, International Contemporary Art Fair, Faliro Pavilion, (TaeKwonDo) Athens
2010 “2010 Taipei International Art Exhibition”, X – Power Gallery, Taipei City, Taiwan
2010 "Antidaneio" (re borrow) at The Aegean Center of Fine Arts, Parikia Paros, Cyclades, Greece
2010 “Unwrap your mind” Gallery That, Hong Kong
2010 X-Power gallery at Revolution Art Fair, Taipei City Taiwan
2010 "From The Dust" Icosahedron Gallery, New York
2010 "Conventional Wisdom" Icosahedron Gallery, New York
2011 "Here Now" International Art Exhibit at the Museum Castello di Estense, Ferrara Italy
2011 “Color” Anata Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2011 "Identity" Festival Gnafala, Museum Soufli, Greece
2011 “ Art Kudos international exhibition”
2011 Biennale of Chianciano, at the Chianciano Art Museum, Tuscany, Italy
2011 with artAz, "Surprise 3" Nikos Gatsos Hall, Technopolis, Council of Athens, Athens www.artaz.gr
2011 Group Winter exhibition: Gallery7, Kolonaki Athens. www.gallery7.gr
2012 Exhibited at the Parallax Art Fair, London UK. http://www.barlowfinedrawings.com/artistcataloguefeb.html
2012 DAKAR ARTS "International Dakar Visuals Arts Festival 2012" Senegal, West Africa
2012 "International Contemporary Masters" at the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts, Nevada, Las Vegas http://snmfa.com/id16.html
2012 'The Coaster Project, Destination: The World'. Toronto's Culture Works Festival,' part of the BIG on Bloor Festival. Toronto Canada.
2012 "Santorini Biennale of Arts 2012" Santorini, Cyclades, Greece
2012 "5th Beijing International Art Biennale," Beijing,China
2012 artAz, "Surprise 4" & Spectrum exhibition at "Kostis Palamas Hall", Technopolis, City of Athens, Athens www.artaz.gr
2012 Scope Art Fair Miami, "Art takes Miami" with Artist Wanted, http://artistswanted.tumblr.com/