Who is artist Marina Ellina ? Share with us a few things about you and your work in general.
At first, I’m a Greek Cypriot, I live in Limassol but my origins are from Paphos. I am 21 years old and I study at the Athens School of Fine Arts, in the third year. In general, I am interested in conceptual art.
What was your reaction when you heard that you where awarded?
I did’t expect to be awarded. This distinction was a suprise for me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t participate at the closing ceremony of Biennale, as I was in Athens, because of my study, but I was immediately informed from social media of the event. I was excited and it has been a great honor.
Tell us a few words about your awarded work.
My work, ”My grandmother Charitini” is basically the portrait of my grandmother who passed away 16 years ago. I deal with the choice of saving a memory, in order to maintain it.
Our self on its own is a container. We choose our thoughts, we keep on selected memories and form ourselves through our choices, the content of our thoughts and memories. My work is a synthesis of smaller artworks, which contains many materials, tools and methods, processed in such a way in order to express her memory and her absence.
A special reference I have to do, is the flower that presented in the work, called ”korali”, which was in her garden. When I was a child, I cut it and sucked the honey (bee pollen) that had inside and is now associated with the sweetness of the memory that keeps my grandmother in my mind. In the artwork, a narration of my father is presented, who describes his mother’s life, some thoughts and experiences he keeps in his mind, in a video that lasts about two minutes.
Finalist Award Larnaca Biennale 2018
What is your impression about this first Biennial in Cyprus?
I consider that the whole team has done an extraordinary work. The people of the team were so friendly and helpful. The artworks that participated were excellent and the level of the exhibition was very high. Its my honor to be among them.
A message you would like to send to artists that will apply in the future for participation in Larnaca Biennale.
Definitely to dare it. It has been a great experience and a great institution. I hope to see such beautiful artworks and much better at Biennale Larnaca 2020
