Christina Makris, who is Bachlitzanaki’s patron for The Residency programme, is her champion for The Wick. She says “aside from Irini’s technical dexterity and accomplished technique, for me she is also one of those rare, philosophical ‘artist’s artists’ who can shift from depicting everyday objects—jugs, cats, plants, chairs, fans, wine glasses—in a joyous, theatrically exaggerated way, to working with representational meaning itself, offering a poetic “consolation of imaginary things.” She takes these quotidian objects, flattens, dissects, examines, diagrams, reassembles, and remounts them as painted sculptures. Her work resonates with the depth of research, experimentation, and formal thought behind the scenes, and artists who can break hierarchical categories shape shift from painting to design to sculpture remind how we can – and how we should not — take representation for granted.”

Bachlitzanaki concurs that “A lot of the inspiration for my work and accompanying research comes from material culture, and my interest in how we interact with objects and all sorts of material goods as part of our daily lives.” Fascinated by the ability of inanimate objects to either produce or illustrate certain connections, relations and dynamics, she explains “I often think of the objects that I make as stage props—and and how this can lead to looking at them and the world around us a bit differently.” Design and craft are reference pools she returns to constantly, and lately she’s also been addressing “different coping mechanisms and techniques of sorts and address ideas of care, including self-care, and support.”

Following the success of her first exhibition at Ione & Mann, in Autumn Bachlitzanaki will feature in a group exhibition at Christie’s, London organised by The Residency from CURA Art. Bachlitzanaki says, “I took part in the residency just this past June and it was brilliant so I really look forward to the show and re-connecting with everyone.” Also coming up this autumn is a duo exhibition with artist Myrto Xanthopoulou in Athens – the artist’s hometown – in the context of larger interdisciplinary project by curatorial team miss dialectic. “It’s the first iteration of a more longterm collaboration which Myrto and I have been developing for a while, sparked by the many ways in which our works—and lives— intersect.” Bachlitzanaki was joined at The Residency by former Spotlight Bobbye Fermie.

By chance, though distinct in form and intent, both of these exhibition have community and collaboration at their centre, the outcome of working together long term, bouncing ideas of each other, and making work in the same space – “a nice change from the usual studio routine where work is rather solitary.” Bachlitzanaki points out another important aspect of this most recent body of work with Xanthopoulou. “The ideas—and works— we have been developing also address ideas of working and operating together or alongside one another in an effort to cope.” In the precarious times in which we are living, this kind of practice seems like a sustainable way to face the future.