O Michael Papadopoulos
Wild Thoughts Live On Our Faces And Time Springs A Leak In Human Heads
Ink on paper with blacklight Ink, 18in x 24in, 2020.
I make paintings that play with surreality, figures, and heavy symbolism. I use myself as both an emotional prop within a composition, and an analogous stand-in figure for the viewer, therefore some of my paintings have my face without being self-portraits. Currently I follow conceptual tangents through stream of consciousness; the passing and progression of time, mutual observation, as well as multiplicity in meaning and perception. I place process and intent on equal ground. This stems from my personal history with ink and its relationship to mistakes; while oil or acrylic mistakes (drips or a mark that is later regretted) can be amended, mistakes in ink have a unique permanence. The inevitability of mistakes during my process forces me to pay attention to what happens as the painting unfolds, therefore allowing process, medium, and mistakes to work in tandem with my original intent towards the finished product.
O Michael Papadopoulos is a painter and nuisance from West Philadelphia. He grew up as one of two children immersed in an overlapping community of activists, painters, printmakers, musicians, anti-authoritarian anarchists, writers, and a smattering of ephemeral randos. Hailing directly from creators and makers, he uses visual art as a lens through which to observe and interact with the surrounding world. He commits himself to few things, most notably the pursuits of: fun, visual art, observing/storytelling, and selectively engaging with regret.