Despoina Vaxevanidi (Athens, 1999) is a visual artist. She was admitted to the School of Fine Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki as a student with “special artistic predisposition” (2016). She graduated from the Athens School of Fine Arts in 2023. She participated in “Erasmus BIP” at Bauhous-Universitat,Weimar (2023) and various research projects including “Post documenta: Contemporary Arts as Territorial Agencies”. She has also participated in group exhibitions and residencies such as “Halle14. Thessaloniki – Leipzig2024″at Spinnerei, “Blurry Grounds” at Philosophical School/University of Athens (2023), “This Current Between Us” in Steam Electric Plant of PPC (2022), “Art Colony Kastoria” (2022), “Art Mentoring in Structures Mental Health” (2021), “Athens DigitalArt Festival” (2021).

Her artistic practice includes multiple media and materials such as painting, installation, video in order to converge “form” and “content”. Her work concerns with the relationship of different types of surfaces / volumes in conjunction with the empty space between them, investigating issues of social structures and traditions of global communities. Moreover, she is interested in the multiple readings of female identity and the interpretation of the imaginary. She is interested in how art is used as a tool for social development and education by influencing society, imparting a more conscious relationship with the world around us.

Residencies

2024

• Halle14 Thessaloniki – Leipzig 2024 at Spinnerei

2022

• 1st Art Colony in Kastoria

2021

• ARTIST RESIDENCIES at Mental Health Units

Group Exhibitions /Workshops

2024

•  Back to Athens 11 “CROSSROADS” at Isaiah Mansion, Athens
• “Visualbility” at Institut français de Thessalonique

2023

• “Blurry Grounds”, Dept. of Philosophy, University of Athens
• “Saddle point”, Diploma thesis presentation, N.Kesanlis auditorium, Athens School of Fine Arts
• “This Current between Us” at Historic Steam Electric Power Station of Neo Faliro, curated by Panos Giannikopoulos & Georgia Liapi
  
• “Time out” at Circuits + Currents – Collaboration with Universität für angewandte Kunst, Wien

2022

• «Fitness condition: artist» An exhibition by “P o s t documenta: contemporary arts as territorial agencies”
  
• Kalamata International Short Documentary Festival
  
• 8th Peloponnese International Film Festival
  
• Exhibition Ruins | Petit Paris at Athens ’22
  
• Vegan Life NGO 2022 at Technopolis, City of Athens

2021

•  “Are We Not Plunging Continually?” An exhibition in two parts by P o s t Documenta: Contemporary arts as territorial agencies.  Leipzig 1-3 October 2021 at nyg | west and Athens 14-30 October 2021 at Circuits + Currents​
  
• Culture Night of the Municipality of Athens at ARTENS​
  
• Open studio of Video Art in Platforms project, curated by Prof. V. Betsou​
  
• “Water and body” Exhibition in the frame of “Little Paris in Athens” project curated by Irini Maria Nanouri​
  
• ATHENS DIGITAL ART FESTIVAL 2021 with the OpenArt team
  
• Festival Video Art Miden
  
• ”Albert Camus: 865 Letters” – online exhibition organized by the
  Museum of Contemporary Art of Florina
  
• Visual art online exhibition – organized by Gallery Shrine

2020

• “What do you mean you are not happy?” ARTNES FESTIVAL 2020
  ​
• Design team of the catalogue/journal for the educational program of Art-Athina / Program of the Panhellenic Association of Art Galleries and the Ioannis F. Costopoulos Foundation

2019​

•  Workshop at Delphi in collaboration with the Leipzig School of Fine Arts in conjunction with an exhibition at the T.A.F.​
  
• Workshop “Daysign”– for the course “Anthropology and Contemporary Art”, in collaboration with Twixtlab (E. Rikou and P. Sklavenitis)
  
• “TREASURE HUNT | SNEHTA” Workshop and exhibition

2018 

• Workshop “Daysign – Micromeria Acropilitana” – with P. Sklavenitis, part of  Actopolis project​
  
•  Artwork for the visual part of “Chessnale” project

Art Education/ Facilitator 

2022/2023

• Mentoring/support of students for the documentation of the works of art in the action “Educating teachers through Art-TEPArt AUEB (Athens University of Economics and Business)

2022

• Supporter at “Portrait of a child – Every child a story” in METAdrasi with Potential Project

2020

• ​Supporter at the ‘Compass’ project “School without school”

2019/2023

• Supporter at the Art Therapy project in Moraitis Private School

Educational/  Research programs

2024

• Education through Art by Hellenic Open Univ.

2022

• “Sustainability Strategies in Clothing” by Athensfashionclub®

2021

• Educational and Research program of Intercultural Exchange “Post documenta: Contemporary Arts as Territorial Agencies”​
  
• Artistic Practice training program with OPEN ART Research Methodology of the Ionian University and the Athens Digital Arts Festival (supervisors A. Floros and A. Vassof)​
  
•  Online adult training “Sound, voice, sound therapy techniques in pedagogy and positive crisis transformation”   (rapporteur M. A. Aggeli)
  ​
• Seminar “Cultural Diplomacy” – organized by Hellenic Institute of Cultural Diplomacy

2020

• Seminar “The Covid-19 pandemic and its psychiatric forensic effects” organized by the Hellenic Psychiatric Forensic Society​
  
• Seminar “Art as an experience” organized by the University of the Aegean. (70 hours duration)​
  
• Online seminar “What is Contemporary Art?”   [Coursera platform/The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)]
  
• Seminar “Cultural Management: Culture in Practice” organized by “Open Art” (A. Stanas tutor).

2019

• 5th Panhellenic Symposium on Art Therapy: “The Transformational Object in Art, Psychotherapy and Society”

2019/2021

• Educational program of Art-Athina  with the collaboration of Hellenic Art Galleries Association and the  J.F.Costopoulos Foundation as part of Art Athina

2018

• Seminar “Civilization and Psychoanalysis” organized by The Greek Institute of Cultural Diplomacy.