Chryssafenia Gardiakou
Ecuador
About Chryssafenia Gardiakou
Chicago-born artist Chryssafenia, is of Ecuadorian-Mestizo and Greek descent. She grew up in Greece and moved to the United States to go to University. She attended the School of the Art Institute (S.A.I.C) in Chicago briefly but her education was stopped by a spinal injury that took her away from her studies, but not from art making, exhibiting, collaborating with other artists as well as organizing an art collective, where she tried her hand at Curating and directing art shows. She later attended Northern Illinois and got three degrees while legally disabled.
She was the founder of the now defunct "Art Virus" Underground Collective
She has been exhibiting her art since 1993-in Europe and United States.
She was invited to curate an exhibition for Re:Think, an art exhibit in Mani, a region in the southern part of Greece.
She is currently showing installation work in a floating exhibit (on recycling and reevaluating consumerism) all over the Peloponnese with the Kalamata Free Space Cooperativa, an activist collective that has performance political demonstrations and Re:think workshops as part of its m.o.
Education:
Northern Illinois University
B.F.A. in Studio Art
B.A. in Art History
M.A in Art History
S.A.I.C (School of the Art Institute of Chicago)
Fashion
-Apprenticed under Christo Rigana, Sculptor
-Workshop with Flo Oy Won (studied multi-mrdia collage)
Scholarships:
Helen Merritt Scholarship
Dimitris Liakos Scholarship
Rosebud Foundation- V&PA Endowment
Art History Instructor at Northern Illinois University 2011-2014
Events:
November 2017: Will be working on my first Tarot Deck Images. The "Crespo Deck" Arcana imagery will be out in the next few months.
October 2017: "The Little Demons Inside" by Micah Chaim Thomas has been released! Available on Amazon now!
August 2017: I have been invited to create a new piece for author Micah Chaim Thomas' book: "The Little Demons Inside". What an Honor! More information coming soon!
May 2016: One of my pieces has become a part of the Scitech Museum's Collection! Thrilled!
Exhibitions:
-MAY 2017
ARTBAR The Delirium Show
-April 2017
ARTBAR The Body Show
-February 2017
ARTBAR The Desire show
-January 2017
ARTBAR The Fable Show
-June 2016
ARTBAR Sin Titulo
-May 2016
ARTBAR The Urban Show
-MAY 2016
SciTech Museum/ on Occasion of the 125th Anniversary of Aurora IL Postal Office
-April 2016
ARTBAR The Dream Show
-March 2016
ARTBAR The Cat Show
-February 2016
ARTBAR- The Red Show
-March 2013-
Exhibiting work at Mausoleum Gallery
-February 2013-
Group exhibit- "Where's Your Heart?" (curated by Nikki Rice)
Anti-Violence Valentine
-Fall 2012-
"Monsters" Curated by Ramon Soto
-Summer 2011-
Aurora Art Walk (Featured artist)
-Spring 2011-
Group show at Mausoleum Gallery in Aurora Il.
-Fall 2010-
SOLO SHOW: "SARTORIAL MACGYVERISM: Inception, Dramaturgy and Endymatological Apotheosis" at Bad Dog Gallery, DeKalb
-September 2010-
ALLEY ART FESTIVAL-exhibited with FUGLY DUCKLING-
-July 2010-December 2009-
"RE:THINK" (Touring show in the Peloponnese)
(Co-Curator with Ms. Mirto Fifa)
Kardamili Exhibit in Cultural center as well as the Kalamata Cultural Center
-March 2010-
NAEA Juried Art Show
Glass Gallery
-2009-
"ARS NOVA"
group show
-April 2009-
"SEXY"
Group show at Pleasant Street Gallery (curated by Karen Brown)
-Summer 2008-
Art Consultant for M.E.T. Theatre-
Kalamata, Greece- "Mid Summer Night's Dream"
-November 2008-
KINDLING group show(curated by Natalie Shugailo)
-JULY 2006-
THE ARTS RENAISSANCE TOUR
River Breeze Gallery Aurora IL.
-2006-
Art featured in Loukeelium's album "What have we Done?"
-2003-2004-
Creative Director of make-up and body collaborating with Fashion Designer Lori "Devil Bunny" Thomason for her fashion line.
-2004 SUMMER-
SISTER CRAFT TOUR
Collaboration with Jane Anderson: Ritual garments
-Jan. 2003 and Jan.2004
WINDY CON ART EXHIBIT AND AUCTION
-2004 SUMMER-
Curated group exhibit "EYE CANDY"
-2003 SUMMER-
Curated group show "ART VIRUS" exhibiting work by the Aurora Underground group
-2002-
Poster Design for band "Reverend Fly Daddy and the Sinners"
-2001-
Group show at Quimby's in Chicago Il.
-2000- Album Cover Art for band
"Hedonists, Maybe"
-2000-2001
Art director of Body collaborating with fashion designer Pamela Walt's line "Rain ware"
