Nov 13

Meet the Artist | Maro Fasouli

This week, we welcome the artist Maro Fasouli, whose innovative approach to fine arts has led her to create a truly unique and multidimensional body of work. From a young age, Maro knew art was her calling, and her journey—shaped by exploration and self-discovery—has taken her through various media and techniques. Her latest exhibition, ''A House as Big as You Need and Land as Far as You Can See'', on view until November 23rd at CAN Christina Androulidaki Gallery in Athens, draws from a traditional Greek philosophy that values balance and purpose in our relationship to space. Through weaving, sculpture, and installations, she challenges conventional forms while creating deeply personal connections with the landscape. In this interview, Maro gives us a closer look at her creative process, the core themes that drive her work, and how she invites the audience to engage with her art in unexpected and meaningful ways.

Can you tell us about your background and how you first got started as an artist?

I feel fortunate to have known from a young age that I wanted to pursue art, even before realizing it could be a profession. It wasn't until elementary school, when I first learned about the School of Fine Arts, that I understood a path existed. I went on to study at ASFA, eventually completing a Master’s in visual arts there. So, my journey into art wasn’t a single starting point; rather, it unfolded gradually over the years, shaped by both education and a growing sense of artistic purpose.

What initially drew you to the field of fine arts, and how did your journey lead you to focus on weaving and sculpture?

What initially drew me to the fine arts was the endless potential for invention— the ability to experiment, create, and constantly push boundaries. My interest in weaving developed through my exploration of tradition, though I don’t consider myself a traditional weaver. I don't follow the classic rules of weaving; instead, I use the medium to develop new approaches. Sculpture naturally emerged in my practice because my work is always shaped by the physical relationship I form with the materials and the concept behind each piece.

Your work spans various mediums, from sculpture to installations. How do you decide which medium best expresses the concepts you’re exploring in a particular project?

My work spans various mediums because each concept I explore has its own unique demands. While my background is in painting, I’ve always been drawn to working in three dimensions. I don’t believe in committing to just one medium, as each project often calls for a different approach. Sometimes, the presentation is clear from the start, and the work evolves directly from the initial idea. But more often, whether I’m creating a sculpture, wall piece, or installation, the work goes through various stages, and I’ll experiment with several versions before settling on the final form.

About the Exhibition.

Your solo exhibition at CAN Gallery is titled ''A House as Big as You Need and Land as Far as You Can See'', referencing a traditional Greek expression that reflects a philosophy of moderation and space. How did this idea become the central theme of your exhibition?

The title'' A House as Big as You Need and Land as Far as You Can See'' draws from a traditional Greek expression that embodies a philosophy of moderation and balance. This idea became central to my exhibition as it reflects the way humans have historically interacted with space—using their bodies as a unit of measurement in folk architecture and weaving. For me, the concept speaks to a deep connection between scale and the needs that once defined survival. In the exhibition, I explore this idea by using my own body as both a measure and a model for the work, where the size of each piece is determined by what would contain me, much like a house or land that must meet our fundamental needs. This personal and intimate scale references a time when living spaces were defined by what was necessary for survival—both in terms of shelter and land.

Can you describe your creative process for this exhibition? Were there specific moments or inspirations that significantly influenced the final pieces?

My creative process for this exhibition has been evolving over several years, rooted in my connection to Tinos, my place of origin, and my admiration for its natural landscape as well as its architecture. The work itself is an ongoing exploration, and though the core idea remains consistent, each iteration offers a new version of it. The most significant moment for me in this exhibition was realizing that I wasn't working on a piece meant for an interior space, nor was I simply creating a structure or a woven work. Instead, I found myself expanding outward, and all the elements I had been developing ultimately became parts of a landscape. This shift in perspective became a turning point in how I approached the final pieces.

What were some of the key challenges you faced while creating ''A House as Big as You Need and Land as Far as You Can See'', and how did you overcome them during the exhibition’s development?

One of the key challenges in creating '' A House as Big as You Need and Land as Far as You Can See'' was how to engage with the landscape concept without simply mimicking the relationship I’ve developed with it. My work is rooted in the traditions of architecture and weaving, yet I wanted to approach them in a way that felt fresh and expansive. The challenge was finding a way to express these connections while avoiding repetition. Over time, this led me to shift my focus outward, transforming the elements I was working with into parts of a larger, living landscape rather than static objects. This shift in perspective helped me move beyond merely replicating my relationship with the landscape and allowed the work to take on new, more dynamic forms.

How do you feel your work was received by the audience so far? Were there any particular responses, interactions, or feedback that stood out to you during the exhibition?

During the exhibition, I’ve met and spoken with many fascinating people. What I take away from these interactions is that each person finds space within the works to project their own interpretations. This particularly delights me, as through this exchange, new perspectives and viewpoints emerge that I hadn’t noticed before. These interactions may even reveal possibilities that offer a different way to view the exhibition. The identification of the viewer with the work, which I believe is the goal, can come in ways you hadn’t anticipated, and this is why the communication of a work with its audience is such an essential part of the experience.

Is there a specific piece in the exhibition that holds particular significance for you? If so, would you like to share more about it?

In this exhibition, I approached the works as a collective body, seeing them as part of a unified whole. However, what truly defined my narrative was the piece that hovers in space, representing an entrance. By activating the boundary between the enclosed, protected interior and the vast, unknown exterior landscape, I was able to refine my focus. I aimed to create a balance between the ruin and its connection to the landscape—something deeply familiar to me through my experiences in Tinos.

How do you think the setting of the CAN Christina Androulidaki Gallery influenced the perception of your work? Did the space itself play a role in how the exhibition was experienced?

The setting of CAN Gallery was integral to shaping the perception of my work. Designed by renowned modernist architect Spyros Staikos, the gallery’s interior provided an ideal backdrop for ''A House as Big as You Need and Land as Far as You Can See'', which explores the relationship between interior and exterior spaces. I carefully considered the gallery’s layout to organize the works in a way that would highlight my theme more clearly, creating a rhythm of empty walls between them, like pauses in a musical composition. The gallery’s clean lines and open space allowed the works to engage with both the architecture and each other, deepening the viewer's experience.

Maro is currently developing several projects that will further her exploration of themes like tradition, architecture, and the female body, bringing in fresh perspectives and unexpected directions. We eagerly await what’s to come!