Peny Manavi – BIO
Peny Manavi is a Greek painter born in 1968. In her work she explores biodiversity and its importance for the fertility, development and dominance of living organisms in the natural environment. Bright colors and expressionistic gestures are characteristic of her work. She is inspired by plants and insects, marine life and wild flora and fauna. Having a degree in Physics from the University of Athens ('92) and a Master's degree in Radiation Physics from UCL, University of London ('94) she has a different more analytical approach in her works. Influenced by her studies in Physics she focuses on the details discovering a new perspective and a new imaginary world. From 1999 he studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts with professor Yiannis Psychopaidis and graduated in 2004.
Since then he has held 11 solo exhibitions in Greece and abroad. Her first solo exhibition was held at the Titanium-Yiayiannos gallery (2006) and the most recent at the StoArt Korai Art Space of the National Insurance Company (2022) and in Europe at Galeria Amador de Los Rios (Madrid, 2010) and Espace Christianne Peugeot (Paris , 2018).
She has participated in more than 80 group shows in Greece and abroad as well as in International Art Fairs such as Select Fair NYC and Aqua Art Miami in the USA, Toronto ArtExpo, ArtFairTokyo, ArtOsaka, ArtBusan, ArtExpoMalaysia, Affordable Art Fair Hamburg with Galerie Bruno Massa (Paris) but also at Art Athina in Greece. During her participation with the Salon des Independents at Art en Capital in Paris, she was awarded the "toile d'or de l'année 2013" by the French Association of Art Critics - Fédération Nationale de la Culture Française.
Art Historians and Art Critics such as Manos Stefanidis and Athena Schina have written about her work.
Her artworks can be found in private and public collections in Greece and internationally. Some of her artworks belong to the collection of the Wells Fargo Foundation in the USA.
She lives and works in Athens.
PRESENTATION
I have always been fascinated by the odd and intense color combinations one can find while studying the biodiversity and abundance of colors and shapes in nature. My works are inspired by the organic forms of nature and biodiversity and its importance for the fertility, development and dominance of living organisms in the natural environment.
My studies in Physical Science have contributed towards having another perspective while studying nature, focusing on the detail and the microcosmos of insects and plants, the mysterious world of sea depths and wild flora and fauna and discovering a new imaginary world.
My artworks reflect a passion for life, dynamism and energy and are characterized by exuberant use of color and dynamic gestural writing.
They simultaneously incorporate elements of realism and abstraction, but overall the visual form of my works I would characterize as post-expressionist in terms of the use of color and also in terms of writing. They have a rich color palette with a variety of shades and contrasts. The writing incorporates a variety of textures and qualities and uses the element of movement and randomness through a multitude of spots and lines resulting from the use of printing press inks.
I use oil and printing ink on canvas in my painting practice, alternating them and forming color spots and lines which create a personal writing, attributing movement, rhythm and flow to my artwork. Vibrant colors and movement create a flow of energy towards the viewer and are finally balancd in a composition of dynamic equilibrium where the aesthetic outcome reflects an optimistic and dynamic view.
On a conceptual level the flowers and insects, fish and corals of the seabed symbolize fertility, cacti and thistles the cycle of life, decay and death as well as the resilience and triumph of life in adverse conditions. All creatures: insects, fish, animals, reptiles, birds and plants are messengers of the message of the domination and continuity of nature above and beyond human existence.
