Interview: Niki Zahari
Luca Curci talks with Niki Zahari during VISIONS – CANVAS INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2023 held in Venice at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

Niki Zahari was born in Greece. She studied Painting in the School of Fine Arts in the beginning and Sculpting. She graduated from both with “Excellent” grade and she gained scholarships for her art-works. During her studies she attended, among other classes, mosaic courses and Iconography. She also expresses through Performance Art. Additionally, she has experience as an Art Teacher in public organizations and schools. In 2010 she created her own Art School in Greece, where she teaches children and adults. Niki’s work can be found in private art collections and has been seen in numerous exhibitions in Greece, since 1994. Finally, she has participated in the ITSLIQUID International Art Exhibition “THE BODY LANGUAGE 2020”

Luca Curci – Where did the need to show reality through performance art come from?
Niki Zahari – The need to express myself through performance art comes from closely observing people’s behaviour, social and ethical issues, and the changes that are coming for life on the planet. At the same time, my feminine nature and its roles, along with my personal experiences in life, have led to my experimentation through performance art.

LC – What issues do you intend to deal with in the future?
NZ – My intention for the future is to work on environmental issues, identities, and the relationship with time, memory, space and the changes in the body over time. I’m also interested in getting involved in dancing since I see it as a challenge to take me to another level of consciousness and physical difficulty looking for the way out.

LC – Is there an unrealised or unrealisable project, even a crazy one, that you would like to work on?
NZ – The project/challenge I would like to work on in the future is to crawl through a tunnel, trying through the darkness to find the Apollonian light.

LC – What are the three hashtags essential to define your poetics that you could not give up?
NZ – For me, the top three hashtags are vibration, energy and feedback.

LC – Do you agree with our vision of art and what do you think about the theme of the exhibition?
NZ – Regarding the vision of the exhibition, of course I agree with that, because, through the Group, each artist is given the opportunity to communicate his/her work and talk to other participants.

LC – Can you explain something about the artworks you have in our exhibition?
NZ – It is a performance that grew inside me right after my mother’s death. It is the second version of the same work. Memory is fluid like its performance. The tools I used for the performance are the Butoh dance.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
NZ – Working with you has been another challenge for me.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
NZ – I am quite satisfied with the ITSLIQUID Platform.

LC – What do you think about the organization of our event?
NZ – I found the event quite good and I am looking forward to the next one.