UK-based artist wins DESTE award
Emerging artist Lukia Alavanou, whose work so far has delved into the tremendous possibilities of animation, was awarded the Best Video Artist prize by the Athens-based DESTE Foundation Center for Contemporary Art at a ceremony this week. Alavanou, who has been based in the UK for the past eight years working on animation and collage projects, draws heavily from cartoons of the 1920s and cult-status horror movies for her creations. Her interest in early 20th century aesthetics is strongly reflected in her work, which also focuses on the period identified with Freud and psychoanalysis. In comments to Kathimerini, Alavanou said her winning entry came as a surprise. She was one of six artists on the short list for the DESTE prize, which is awarded biannually to a Greek artist living in Greece or abroad. The prize was established in 1999 as an integral part of the DESTE Foundation’s policy for the promotion of contemporary Greek art, honoring artists whose work demonstrates authenticity and innovation. Past recipients are Panayiota Tzamourani, Georgia Sagri, Maria Papadimitriou and Christodoulos Panayiotou. «Of course, like all of us, I was hoping. But, to be perfectly honest, I was surprised. This was a high-standard event and my project was up against many very good entries. This alone adds greater weight to the prize,» said Alavanou. While noting that she was «not accustomed to winning prizes,» Alavanou said she felt the DESTE prize came as acknowledgement for her efforts to date. «This is a great honor,» said the video artist, who, responding to a question, denied that this accolade would elevate her own expectations. «The demands you set for yourself remain high – win or lose,» remarked Alavanou. On a wider level, the winning artist expressed her gratitude to the DESTE Center for once again staging a competition for video art, a domain that remains largely neglected in this country. «Generally, there are lots of worthy artists in Greece,» said Lukia Alavanou, «but they’re receiving minimal support.»
