Paradise Lost Painting

My intention as an artist is to depict the beauty as well as the power of the feminine. Using mixed media painting and ceramic my work depicts a strong feminine subject with symbolic aspects. These pieces hold their space on a wall and are to be experienced not just as a representation of women, but rather to stir the collective unconscious and the archetype of the Jung’s anima, which carries with it great wisdom and a much deeper layering with regard to women. The art presents a metaphor, there is so much more to the human form than aesthetic perception. We are more than our outer portrayal and objectification; we must see past pretty and attractive. Most of my works have a confronting element, the woman is portrayed in the centre of the canvas, as icons in Greek Orthodoxy have been for centuries. In this position she is powerful and either staring at you in a way that is meant to make you feel her presence and the depth of her layers. Or she is depicted with her eyes shut so that she takes on the persona of the Madonna, the encompassing mother, gentler but prevailing. Uniqueness must be celebrated and focused on as opposed to the cookie cutter societal expectations put on us. Bio: Angelika Anastasis is an Artist, Writer and Seeker. She enjoys colour and thought-provoking pieces; it was this aspect that won her the 2017 Regional KZN award for Ceramics South Africa. Angelika’s paints on larger canvases and likes to use mixed media to create layers, she has exhibited both nationally and internationally, her work sells both locally and internationally. In 2020 she published her children’s book, Thuli and the Seed of Truth, which was inspired by the work and courage of Thuli Madonsela. Thuli Madonsela says of the book, “I’m certain the book will make an immense contribution toward anchoring our children in the truth, justice and integrity that our world desperately needs today.” Angelika writes stories about her pieces and explains the symbolism portrayed, she is inspired by the feminine and focuses on strengths and vulnerabilities. Her work is influenced by her psychology and hypnotherapy background. She has learned of the significance of symbols and seeing them as hints of one’s intuition to take direction. She is currently working on a new body of work which is influenced by the extreme GBV in South Africa. She feels that it is essential that we begin to build a new narrative about women, addressing this concept through her art and writing.