Today, we’re discovering together Artist Joe Papagoda who accepted to answer a few questions to get a better understanding of what he does.
Artist Joe Papagoda Interview
Please Joe Papagoda tell us a bit about what you do?
Hello, I do a little bit of everything with my main focus being photography, and abstract painting. Writing, researching, designing, and sculpting are in the mix too.
How has your style changed over the years?
It’s remained largely consistent. Although, there’s a fine line between my photography, and the paintings.
My photography has a dark, atmospheric depth to it. My photos center heavily around self portraiture, and personal projects. There’s always interplay between the subject, the light, and the dark.
In contrast, my paintings tend to be the opposite. They’re bright, colorful, and usually involve a level of simplicity, while still evoking creative thought and vision in the viewer’s mind. When all these projects come together, they really become a documentation of my entire cosmogony. They’re everything I see and do. And I think they’ll be around for a long time.
Can you tell us a little bit about your painting series “Myths”?
Myths is a body of work which is modern, yet allegorical and timeless. Artwork based loosely on ancient legends that evoke an expressive power, without relying on figurative suggestions. They’re presented in form of color fields, which are boldly known for their strong primordial sense. This makes them the perfect basis for such a mythic art.
The Eos Crisis, from the series Myths, is an award-winning painting of yours. What do you see in that work?
This piece has two halves to it. Up above, is a dark cloud of red, while down below is a bleak yellow landscape. What I see is a clash between the heavens and the mortal world. It’s an allegory that could fit right into any mythological setting.
Tell us a bit about your “Unforeseeable” photographs.
Unforeseeable is a series of instant film photographs, presented in form of a polyptych. I actually wrote about it for the Impossible Project’s blog a while back. They involve high contrasts, self-portraits, long exposure, double exposure, and more to tell an ongoing story of conflict. It’s a real primordial sense of emotion to see here, and there’s more content coming soon.
Do you have a preferred medium?
When painting I do prefer acrylics. They’re incredibly versatile and can be manipulated to fit any need. There’s really no limit to acrylic paint.
When did art become a part of your life, how have you been influenced? Who are some of your favorite Artists?
I got into photography seriously in my later teens. Me and a few friends used to photograph paintball teams at a local paintball business for fun. Later on I got into fine art, and documentary photography, becoming influenced by the works of Imogen Cunningham, David Douglas Duncan, and Francesca Woodman. In late 2013 I experimented with painting, started researching art history, and other artists of the 20th century. I’ve always enjoyed the styles and personas of Dali, Picasso, and Warhol. They call them geniuses for a reason. They were more than just painters. They knew how to make anything work in their favor. And that’s a fun thing to do.
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I’m focused on some new projects. I’m working on a photo project about pre-owned American flags. I’ve also been working with wire sculpture, and neo-expressionism works too, which is especially unique. Neo-expressionism is like handwriting. Everyone does it differently.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
They can visit my website, Joepapagoda, and find me on Instagram under the name Joe Papagoda. Search my name and you’re going to find me fast.
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2 Responses
What a wonderful and creative artist! Before I became a writer, I was an artist. I will always be an art lover at heart and Joe Papagoda’s work is right up my alley! Great interview and very simple but striking and alluring artwork. The “Myths” series is a very bold interpretation of classic Greek myths. I’ve certainly never seen a depiction of Greek myths without featuring any people or other objects. Papagoda’s art is very abstract but I think they definitely send out a strong message to the rest of the world. It’s not often you see a good painter and photographer but I think this artist does a commendable job in both fields.
As a huge history buff and art lover, I love the Myths series….Greek mythology has always intrigued me. And I absolutely love The War of Athena and The Reclamation of Arcadia…..inspiring and mysterious to look at….which is what art is supposed to do. And can’t wait to see what he does with his wire sculptures…I’ve seen some very good ones.