Interview: Eirini Antoniou
Luca Curci talks with Eirini Antoniou during the 18th edition of VENICE INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2023, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

She writes with a fountain pen, she draws with a pencil. Inspired by the character of the heroes, she creates a series of sketches & images that give a new dimension to her stories. Thus, her novels and fairy tales are set in a parallel reality. One reality is about words and the other is about images.

Luca Curci – What’s your background? What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
Eirini Antoniou – I started writing novels in 2012. It was a spur of the moment inspiration from a birthday card and a red umbrella that I had received. So I named my first novel and later my website: “The Red Umbrella”. Every word and every image was to be followed quickly by another… My source of inspiration was overwhelming like burbling water…

LC – How much has the city/country in which you grew up/born affected your work as an artist?
EA – The island where I live, Crete, is like paradise. The sea, the sun, and the endless blue give food for my thoughts and writing.

LC -How do you choose your subjects? Is it a reasoned or an instinctive process?
EA – It is an instinctive process triggered by an idea, a dream, or an event.

LC – Do you use art to express something in particular? Is it your medium of expression?
EA – Yes, it is my way of expression. It expresses my viewpoint of life through my eyes as a writer

LC – How do you feel when you see your work completed?
EA – I feel impressed and emotionally full. I am deeply satisfied that I possess the talent to give spiritual food to my readers so that they do not express themselves in a toxic way.

LC – Can you explain something about the artworks you have in our exhibition?
EA – The specific artworks in Venice exhibition play an important role in my novel, the novel of The Red Umbrella and its journey through the present time, my first trilogy. They were created for their illustration. Each sketch is the first letter of the corresponding chapter, it is a capital letter and also a summary of the chapter that follows. To make my idea compatible with the story, I took pencil and paper and started drawing.

LC – Do you agree with our vision of art and what do you think about the theme of the exhibition?
EA – This is my first time participating in an art fair and the initiation was very warm, meaningful and welcoming, motivating me to participate in similar future challenges, as well.

LC – What is your idea about ITSLIQUID GROUP?
EA – It is a serious and organised group of companies with unlimited prospects.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
EA – Yes, I have really enjoyed this collaboration, although I was not able to attend the opening ceremony to meet some members of the group, as well as other artists.

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
EA – Although I have no experience of this, I can say that I would like such exhibitions to be held in more cities around the world to marry free art with the culture of each place.