Rena Athanasiadou

Plastic sculptor

©Thanasis Gatos

©Fake Office

When plastic bags become art

The Greek countryside is one of Rena's main inspirations
Her work makes a statement about environmental protection
She loves exploring the limits of the materials she uses

Rena Athanasiadou, an architect by profession, started making jewellery with semi-precious stones, wire and metal inspired by a visit she made to a jewellery exhibition, but it wasn’t long before she started using other materials as well. Mostly self-taught, she kept experimenting in order to fully explore the limits of every material she used. “This search led me to try the plastic bag as a material and discover its potential,” she says. Rena thinks that the creation of art using recycled bags and other used materials is just starting. “Partly due to environmental reasons, artists nowadays feel the need to express themselves with simple materials,” she says.

Interview

©Fake Office

©Fake Office

Why did you choose this specific kind of art?: In 1996 I visited a jewellery exhibition that I liked. Then I thought that I could make jewellery too, or other objects, and that’s when I decided to start creating. I love to imagine and express what I have in my mind by creating art, which, unlike architecture, is dependent only on me.
What appeals about using plastic bags?: I like the idea that it’s not necessary to use expensive materials in order to create something; you can transform a simple, inexpensive material into a useful, artistic object. I also want to convey a message about environmental protection by reusing materials to create art.
What techniques do you use?: I started experimenting with the transformation limits of the plastic bag and plastic packaging through folding, using heat as a technique. Often, I have to add an extra piece to complete the project and I use special adhesives or sewing so that it won't be noticeable.
Is there anything people might not realise about your work?: It’s difficult for people to understand how I create my artworks; they don’t realise that I create them using heat. Many people think I add colour to my creations. Another thing they don't know is that no work of mine can be repeated, not even approximately.

Rena Athanasiadou is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2010