Today, we introduce you to Greek-born, Portugal-based artist Nina Kouklakis. Nina grew up on the island of Crete and is currently exhibiting with her solo show, “Tears of Pleasure,” at RedD Gallery in Greece. Nina’s exploration of fetish is manifested in her work not only because she attempts to paint the skin latex-like but also by the presence of inflatable objects. Fetishistic elements have always been present throughout her practice, as painting feet has been another central concept of her artistic direction. The interpretation of exhibitionism in some of her paintings is also practical through the choice of “selfie.” The repeating expression on the artist’s face makes the viewer feel like they are viewing a show.
Nina’s work grabbed my attention a while ago, and I am particularly pleased to present this unique and very talented artist to you.
Nina! Thank you for taking the time to speak to me. Could you describe yourself to thosewho do not know you?
Hello, I am Nina, I am a 22-year-old artist, and I grew up in Crete. After high school, I moved to Scotland, and I am currently living in Porto. As a child, I didn’t have the opportunity to go to many places, so after high school, I had a strong need to leave Greece. I’ve learned a lot of things about myself since then.
What is a regular day like for you, and do you have a favorite time to create?
A regular day for me is eating and spending time with myself by doing things I enjoy, like knitting, listening to music, lying in the sun, and then painting until late. I always try to leave some time to see people after work. It’s like a treat to me after a productive day. I love being around people when I have given myself the time that I need to fill my batteries.
To be honest, my favorite time to create is from 10 pm to 5 am. Even though I am trying to change that habit, there is something about this time of the day that makes me the most productive and focused. The fact that everyone is sleeping and I am painting feels like I am alone in the world, and this makes me feel so secure and calm, to know that no one will get me out of my zone and distract me. I also don’t usually get messages or calls these hours, so I think that’s a reason, too.
What is a perfect day like for you?
A perfect day for me is a summer day, lying all day on an isolated beach with one or two loved ones. It’s the best gift; I don’t want many people around me because I don’t like loudness. Sometimes, I don’t even talk with my friends. We respect and read each other so much, and it’s really comfortable to have that. We don’t need to talk; we just laugh and look each other in the eyes and communicate.
Can you describe your artistic journey and what drove you to choose this career path?
I always loved drawing; I was filling my childhood books with smudges. When I was four, my parents took me to art lessons for kids with my older sister. I was the youngest child there. Eventually, I got older and stopped going. I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but I didn’t know what kind of artist. I started drawing again at 15 years old, and I’ve been painting since I was 17. I started drawing as a hobby in high school. I didn’t know I had a talent. I just enjoyed it. After people complimented me, I believed in myself and decided to go to art school. There are ups and downs, but the more I do it, the more satisfied I feel with myself. I was, and I am always curious to see how my work changes from year to year.
What does your creative process look like?
Before sleeping, I brainstorm the best ideas. After deciding, the process includes bathing myself or someone else in oil for photo-shooting the reference. I might use more than one picture to paint. I love glowy, shiny skin; I sometimes find sweaty and oily skin attractive. Depending on the size and the idea, I may use a projector to frame the object exactly in the size and place I want it. I also use a projector because I can’t wait to finish the boring starting process; I just want to start painting. I paint a lot of hours; my process needs to be fast in order to keep the freshness of the oil paints and get that smooth, glossy effect.
Can we dig deeper into your drawing style, influences, and message?
My latest work is influenced by ASMR experiences and fetishism. As an ASMR content viewer myself, I want to convey the satisfying sensations that are often triggered by ASMR experiences. I aspire to evoke synesthesia in the audience so as to blur the lines between sight and touch. I would like my work to be experienced not only with the eyes but with the sense of touch, as if the observer is physically interacting with the art piece. Through these ideas, I aim to enhance the audience’s experience by making a deep and overwhelming connection between the artwork and the viewer.
My style has an important role. The subjects and objects must look wet, glossy, and yummy. As I mentioned before, I paint for a lot of hours. My process needs to be fast in order to keep the freshness of the oil paints and get that smooth, shiny effect. The abstract backgrounds are crucial to creating the immersive experience of being in my own imaginative world where I can act and exist independently. I perceive it as a personal, solo experience. The body is floating in a surreal dimension where it resembles luscious food, tempting the viewer to indulge and consume it.
Many viewers may find a painting or concept disgusting. There’s a thin line between disgusting and sexual, and I want my paintings to make you feel both. It’s like with ASMR; some people don’t understand it and feel uncomfortable. For me, it’s relaxing sometimes. When I am stressed, I’m doing ASMR to myself and fall asleep.
Every painting includes an object; I want to convey the fulfillment and satisfaction that an object gives me when I am playing with it. I have a strong bond with objects. I remember when I was a child, and my friends were touching and playing with my toys, I was immediately relaxed. When people were interacting with my belongings, it was like I was the object, and I was being touched and played with, and that was making me fall asleep. In the balloon series, I want to convey the tension of the moment before a balloon pops and makes a loud noise, metaphorical to the tension of sex before cumming.
Name one of the most memorable reactions regarding your work.
People telling me they want to lick, eat, or touch my paintings is a memorable reaction. It’s a satisfying comment for me to hear, even though I don’t want them to do it. It’s the sensation I aim to cause them.
Could you describe your favorite piece of art you have created?
My favorite pieces are always the last ones I made. They are fresh and exciting; I always try to impress myself with my newest work. My favorite piece at the moment is “Everything I Touch Turns to Slime”. It features slime placed on the face; the viscous, pink slime is slipping and dripping from both the fingers and face. This object is visually captivating, with its wet texture and shiny surface. The process of painting was an immensely satisfying experience, particularly when adding the final brush strokes with white paint to enhance the light effect. I want to convey the sensation of having a slime substance placed on one’s face. Feel the warm or cold touch.
What challenges do you feel you face as a working artist?
The biggest challenge that I face as a working artist is self-criticism. I am very strict and harsh with myself. I am an overthinker, and sometimes this blocks my creativity. My family and friends’ support has helped me believe in myself and give myself credit for my accomplishments. Feeling confident and self-secure is the best accomplishment. When I am confident, people’s comments cannot affect me.
What is the best advice you were given regarding your art career as an artist?
It’s simple, basic advice, but doing a lot of work, unstoppably, and being actually obsessed with your work is maybe the best advice I was given. Thinking about it all the time, dreaming about it, and spending amounts of time on it has helped me personally, and I think it works out eventually.
What simple pleasures bring you alive?
Dancing is a pleasure that brings me alive; I feel the most confident and vulnerable at this time. I feel like people who haven’t seen me in these moments don’t really know me. Nothing makes me happier than being myself; it’s a basic need. Dancing and music really bring me out, make me feel free, and I am exposed. I always try to have people around me so that I can be myself. It’s really important to me. I cannot hide.
Name a recent book or film that grabbed your attention and why.
‘Our Lady of Hormones’ is the most recent film that grabbed my attention. I would suggest it to only a few people because of its aesthetic. It’s a surreal, fantasy film, where two actresses find a creature in the forest. It’s like a piece of flesh. It becomes their object of lust and desire and they are fighting for it.
It grabbed my attention because of the scenery, objects and sensations I felt while watching it. It was an inspiring and surrealistic visual experience. Not because of the story or the meaning, but the art direction and ideas. I could say pleasure for the eyes but someone could say the complete opposite too.
In films, I pay a lot of attention to the aesthetic. If I don’t like it aesthetically it’s not an exciting film for me. If I like it aesthetically/ visually, it satisfies me and sticks in my mind. I have watched hundreds of films but I’ve forgotten many of them.
What music have you been listening to recently?
I am listening to many different kinds of electronic music. It’s the music I usually dance to. However, I only recently started listening to Latin pop and Latin trap. It cheers me up, makes me shake my body, and boosts me emotionally. Also, since I was a child, I have loved listening to female artists. I always relate to them. It makes me feel the most comfortable, powerful, and free.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me means doing the things you love for yourself and letting yourself take the credit for your accomplishments. You have your own image of yourself, not others’ image of you.
How would you like to be seen as an artist years from now?
As an artist, years from now, I would like the world to see a big difference in my work for sure. I want to see development and change in my art, and I believe it happens naturally. I don’t like stillness, or I get bored. Even as a person, I want to change all the time. Living in the past makes me sad, and I want every day to bring something new that will turn me into a different person.
What’s next for Nina Kouklaki?
I just began my Master’s studies this month in Porto. I am planning on doing a lot of new work here. I am hoping the environment will be inspiring; it’s a new start for me, and I am motivated to try new things. Being away from home and people always helps me focus on myself and my career, and that’s why I initiated leaving Greece again. Experiencing new places with new people is the best way to expand my knowledge and learn things about myself. At the moment, I am starting a new series for an exhibition in Edinburgh. I am ambitious for the future.