Check it out Sunday the 22nd Nov (11am online, 6pm on TV). The channel, @BRUZZbe, is on Proximus (15), Telenet (110) and Voo (62).
I was invited to join the TEDx stage only 17 days before to our performance.
My previous musical collaborator was half a world away. To develop this global stage performance during a pandemic, I needed some closer award-winning talent. Enter Kalliopi Bolovinou. I text messaged Kalliopi, who at that time had only briefly begun teaching our young daughter eurythmics. She was curious to engage with my project. We learned how to work together at a rapid pace thanks to her incredible ability to communicate clearly in multiple languages (both human languages and musical languages). I, too, quickly learnt her ability to express wisdom, humour and empathy in speech and harmony is utterly unparalleled.
This is appropriate because in Greek mythology, her namesake Kalliope is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the harmony of her voice. So I might just take this precedent as an excuse to wax lyrical with some eye witness report of her epic skills.

It took barely any time to onboard her with regards to the scope of my DELPHI project and we began rehearsing together, building our live art and music performance, developing it at record speed and finessing it as we went.

Kalliopi understood the educational elements immediately, the complex meta levels of the theory, philosophies, bereavement therapies and feminism at core, and was able to adapt her music style (classical training rehearses elements of a score) to a more immediate method (rehearsing the entirety every time) to fit with the unique continuity of my continuous line art performance.

She was inspired by the people we interacted with and the content of the storyline and developed her own bespoke response to the art with a gradual crescendo from Debussy’s Syrinx to a modern segment of a composition called “Ascèses” for solo flute (1967). The composer is André Jolivet. The original publication has 5 parts. Kalliopi performed No3 and No4 during the 8 minutes she developed for our show.

This is how she describes the music she developed, in her own words:
“Music is one of the most powerful forms of international expression; it breaks down all barriers by overcoming languages and transcends national borders. [I’ve] chosen classical and contemporary music for solo flute, inspired at the same time by composers, traditional dances and songs from key countries on DELPHI’s route: the Celtic points of Brittany, the islands Greek, African plains, Russian winter… to create a living narration of traditional tales. The music chosen comes from eminent composers, but also segments meshed and recomposed […] on traditional themes accompany the emotional journey of the story, the flute blows air into the lungs of the illustrated story, giving it life.”

We worked hard to make sure our collaboration mapped the music onto the art and the art supported the flow of the music and that our entrance onstage would be in synch with the theatricality of a live storytelling performance.
Kalliopi even taught me how to illustrate a stage direction diagram with French subtitles!

We struggled to offer flexible solutions to the never ending changes that occurred during the preparation of this event. The global pandemic cause the audience numbers to decrease, tickets to be returned, a livestream video option to be brought in and the venue to be changed three times! We had to rearrange our lives and our family’s lives and our children’s schedules and our work schedules, all in the name of our art and music.

We were not welcomed to rehearse on stage until the day of the TEDx event and even then the producers didn’t give the time to do a full 8 minute run through. We had 3 minutes to check out microphones and our stage positions and check the audio and lighting etc was all in place to our professional standards.

Please note all the mask wearing and even the hand sanitiser on the table. The precautions necessary to make this event covid compliant were incredibly stressful. I’m so lucky I had such positive professionals on all sides.
I will share Kalliopi’s biographical history here while also sharing images of her incredible performance on the global stage we shared.

Kalliopi Bolovinou began her music studies early in Ioannina, Greece and Athens and then trained abroad. She holds the Superior Diploma in Flute and the Superior Diploma in Musical Writing from the Athens Conservatory with the highest distinction.

She obtained her Masters at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Mons in Belgium in the class of Marc Grauwels with great distinction.

Then her Superior Diplomas in flute and piccolo at the Ecole Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot in Paris in the class of Mihi Kim.

In addition to her flute studies she also studied Musicology at the University of Athens.

She is also interested in the practice and expression of contemporary music.

She is studying Contemporary Music at the Conservatory of Gent with the Belgian contemporary music ensembles “Ictus” and “Spectra”.

As a teacher, Kalliopi trained at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and at the Dalcroze Institute of Rhythmics in Brussels. She teaches flute at the International School of Brussels (ISB).

She won 1st Prize at the Lions Club National Flute Competition in Belgium and she represented Belgium at the Lions Club International Flute Competition in England.

During her studies, she had scholarships from the Greek state, the Ecole Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot in Paris, the Palais des Beaux Arts in Thessaloniki (Megaro Mousikis in Thessaloniki, Greece) and the Onassis Foundation.

She has worked as an orchestral musician in Greece and Belgium in different orchestras and has performed as a soloist with the National Orchestra of Greece, the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Athens, the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Athens and the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia. In the contemporary scene, she has collaborated with several ensembles, notably the French ensemble “Multilatérale”, with which she recorded at IRCAM in Paris works by the French composer Jacques Lenot (disc Chiaroscuro).

She participated in the creation of works by composers such as Yan Maresz, Matteo Franceschini, Mark Applebaum, Jacques Lenot, Yiannis Kyriakides and she participated in several festivals and workshops in Belgium, UK, France, Greece, Italy.

His interest in chamber music led him to collaborate with Belgian and foreign artists in flute and guitar duo, flute and piano, flute quartet. Within the Kaleidoscope association of which she is a founding member, she works in the multidisciplinary show “Balkan Project” which combines the arts of music, storytelling and illustration around the culture of the Balkan countries together with the storyteller Belgian Bernadette Heinrich, Spanish illustrator Teresa Arroyo and Greek guitarist Yiannis Efstathopoulos.

My favourite moment was in the dressing room after our event when Kalliopi said to me, “Thank you for letting me develop something creative with my altoflute.” In case anyone was wondering, all this has clearly been on big excuse to let us hear her altoflute’s voice ring out!

We thought it would be pretty rockstar to use the opportunity of this TEDx stage to practice our stage performance while developing a collaborative show together and in the short time of our rehearsals for this performance we ALSO built an English language AND French language application and dossier of the project to share an educational performance for schools here in Belgium.

You can see the development of that project on Kaleidoscope, Kalliopi’s musical theatre production company webpage here.
It’s so crazy I’m doing a TED show.
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.
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#wtactualf
@tedxulb
#TEDx
#TEDxULB
#tedtalks
#oneweek


Just finished uploading many of my paintings to the print place.

I hope you enjoy these!

I’ve made postcards, prints, even masks…

They are all based on the paintings from my collection Immensities that is coming to end of a sold out solo show in central Brussels, Belgium.

Πώς να διοργανώσετε ένα καλλιτεχνικό γεγονός κατά τη διάρκεια μιας πανδημίας
Τετάρτη, Οκτωβρίου 14th, 2020
Συντακτική Ομάδα 4 ώρες πριν Σχόλιο

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(Το κραγιόν και οι μάσκες δεν πάνε μαζί)
της Tamar Levi*
Ποτέ δεν είχα ζωγραφίσει μια ολόκληρη συλλογή στη διάρκεια μιας καραντίνας. Πολλοί περισσότεροι λάτρεις της τέχνης έκαναν την εμφάνισή τους στην έκθεση μου “IMMENSITIES” απ’ όσους περίμενα. Ήρθαν με χαμόγελα πίσω από μάσκες, προσδοκώντας για ανθρώπινη επαφή, άλλοι μοναχικοί, μερικά ζευγάρια και κάποιες μικρές οικογένειες, όλοι έφτασαν αργά αλλά με σιγουριά στη γκαλερί Art Base εδώ στις Βρυξέλλες, στο Βέλγιο. Ήταν τιμή μου να καλωσορίσω επισκέπτες στην πρώτη τους έξοδο
από το σπίτι τους, από την αρχή της παγκόσμιας πανδημίας COVID19.
Η πανδημία άλλαξε το κοινό μου. Παρατήρησα ότι οι πιο προσεκτικοί από αυτούς αγοράζουν έργα τέχνης από το διαδίκτυο και η πλειονότητα αυτών που ήρθαν οι ίδιοι ήταν ένα νέο κοινό, ενώ πολλά ήταν τα άτομα που γνώρισα για πρώτη φορά εκεί. Ήταν εκπληκτικό που συναντήθηκα με τόσα νέα πρόσωπα μετά από μήνες αλληλεπίδρασης μας μόνο σε μια μικρή φούσκα.
Ακολουθούν οι προτάσεις μου για το πως διοργανώνεται μια έκθεση ζωγραφικής κατά τη διάρκεια μιας πανδημίας.
Βήμα 1ο. Βεβαιωθείτε ότι οι ημερομηνίες σας είναι σύμφωνες με τους περιορισμούς.
Ελέγξτε ότι τόσο εσείς όσο και η γκαλερί αισθάνεστε άνετα με την ημερομηνία, αναβάλλετε την έκθεση εάν υπάρχει περιορισμός λόγω καραντίνας ή κόκκινης ζώνης που θα δυσκολέψει το κοινό σας ή που θα μπορούσε να σας κάνει ως οικοδεσπότες να αισθάνεστε άβολα. Ελέγξτε τις κυβερνητικές οδηγίες και βεβαιωθείτε ότι η πιθανή επιλογή πώλησης εισιτηρίων σας, έχει περιορισμούς που αντικατοπτρίζουν τις κυβερνητικές διατάξεις.
Βήμα 2ο. Βεβαιωθείτε ότι το κοινό σας κατανοεί πλήρως το τι παίζει.
Κάθε φορά που υπήρχε μια μικρή πληροφορία σχετικά με την τοποθεσία, τις ημερομηνίες, την προετοιμασία, σχέδια εκδηλώσεων, φρόντισα να το επικοινωνήσω μέσω σχεδόν όλων των μέσων κοινωνικής δικτύωσης (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin). Αυτό ήταν εξαντλητικό, αλλά έπρεπε οι επισκέπτες της γκαλερί να λάβουν όλες τις απαντήσεις σε πιθανές ερωτήσεις τους.
Ακόμα κι αν η κυβέρνηση λέει ότι μπορείτε να έχετε έως και 200 άτομα σε μια εκδήλωση, μπορεί να μην αισθάνεστε άνετα εσείς που γνωρίζετε το κοινό σας καλύτερα. Είναι πιθανό να αισθάνονται παρόμοια με εσάς, επειδή το δικό σας το κοινό προσελκύεται στο περιεχόμενό σας λόγω της σύνδεσης που αισθάνεστε μεταξύ σας ήδη.
Βήμα 3ο. Προετοιμάστε μια ασφαλή στρατηγική εισόδου και εξόδου.
Οι επισκέπτες της γκαλερί ήταν έτοιμοι για έξοδο στην πόλη, αλλά με ασφαλή τρόπο. Ήταν κουρασμένοι από το γεγονός ότι εδώ και μήνες δεν ζουν ουσιαστικά τη ζωή τους. Ο ιδιοκτήτης της γκαλερί επινόησε ένα αριθμημένο σύστημα περιστροφής εισιτηρίων όπου οι επισκέπτες έβλεπαν τους πίνακες σε δεξιόστροφη κατεύθυνση. Εάν ήταν περισσότερα από 20 άτομα στο χώρο, τους ζητούσε να δώσουν τον αριθμό τους στο επόμενο άτομο στην πόρτα. Το προγραμματίσαμε αυτό, ώστε αν υπήρχαν περισσότερα από 40 άτομα το βράδυ των εγκαινίων, να έκανα την ομιλία μου στον εξωτερικό χώρο, αντί να ενθαρρύνουμε όλους να βρίσκονται πολύ κοντά ο ένας με τον άλλο στο εσωτερικό.
Βήμα 4ο. Εκτιμήστε τους συνεργάτες σας.
Δείξτε λίγη συμπόνια σε όλους τους άλλους ανθρώπους που σας βοηθούν ώστε αυτό το πράγμα να γίνει πραγματικότητα. Ο φωτογράφος σας έχει χάσει πολλές «δουλειές» κατά τη διάρκεια της απαγόρευσης κυκλοφορίας. Ο ιδιοκτήτης της γκαλερί έπρεπε να ακυρώσει πολλές εκδηλώσεις τους προηγούμενους μήνες και είχε αυξανόμενα χρέη. Χρειάζεται ενσυναίσθηση. Η πανδημία είναι μια στιγμή για να είστε φιλικοί, όχι ντίβες – ας είστε ευγενικές.
Βήμα 5ο. Μάσκα
Οι VIP επισκέπτες ρώτησαν. «Πρέπει να φορέσω μάσκα μπροστά από τις κάμερες;» Ανησυχούσα ότι το κραγιόν μου θα είχε τριφτεί γύρω από το στόμα μου κι ότι θα έμοιαζα με κλόουν.
Πρέπει να φοράω μακιγιάζ κάτω από τη μάσκα μου; Πρέπει να βγάλω τη μάσκα μου όταν μου παίρνουν συνέντευξη; Οι κυβερνητικές οδηγίες για τη χρήση μάσκας άλλαξαν ενώ η έκθεση ακόμα «έτρεχε». Νομίζω ότι είναι ευγενικό να ζητάμε άδεια από τον εκάστοτε δημοσιογράφο, του τύπου, «σας πειράζει αν βγάλω τη μάσκα μου;».
Βήμα 6ο. Καθαριότητα
Η διατήρηση ενός αποστειρωμένου σπιτιού είναι αδύνατη – ένας αποστειρωμένος δημόσιος χώρος είναι ακόμη πιο δύσκολος. Αυτός είναι ένα από τους τομείς ανησυχίας που μου εξέφρασαν γονείς νέων παιδιών (όπως είμαι κι εγώ) που ήδη χάνουν τη μάχη του ελέγχου. Μην περιμένετε υψηλότερο επίπεδο καθαριότητας από αυτό που βιώνατε πριν την πανδημία.
Βήμα 7ο. Χαλαρώστε
Είναι η ημέρα των εγκαινίων. Έχετε βγει από την καραντίνα. Τα έχετε δώσει όλα για την προετοιμασία του event. Έχετε μεταφέρει και κρεμάσει όλους τους πίνακες. Τα φώτα έχουν στηθεί. Έχετε επικοινωνήσει με ειλικρίνεια στο κοινό σας και με καλοσύνη σε όλους τους συνεργάτες σας. Έχετε στείλει προσκλήσεις μέσω διαδικτύου και υπάρχει διαθέσιμο μικρόφωνο, σε περίπτωση που χρειαστεί. Φοράτε κάτι που σας ενθουσιάζει! Προσοχή – μην επιλέξετε τακούνια μετά από μήνες που δεν τα έχετε φορέσει! Τα δάχτυλα των ποδιών μου βίωσαν τρομακτικό επίπεδο
μουδιάσματος μετά από αυτό το γεγονός, για πάρα πολλές μέρες!
Η εκδήλωση ξεκίνησε στις 6 μ.μ. Υπήρχε μια στιγμή μόνο, περίπου στις 5:30, όπου είχα ένα μικρό όραμα για το εγγύς μέλλον: Ξέρω ποια είμαι και τι έχω πετύχει, ξέρω τι πρόκειται να γίνει. Ήταν η πρώτη φορά που άφησα τον εαυτό μου να φανταστεί πώς θα είναι η εκδήλωση.
Πριν από εκείνη τη στιγμή δεν θα μπορούσα να φανταστώ ένα όραμα της εκδήλωσης. Ο δικός μου φόβος για την ολοένα αναπτυσσόμενη πανδημία μου προκάλεσε πανικό. Μπορεί να μην ήταν μια τέλεια εκδήλωση, αλλά δεν θα μπορούσα να κάνω κάτι περαιτέρω, η τέχνη μου ήταν τόσο καλή όσο μπορούσε να είναι, στο μέγιστο των δυνατοτήτων μου, σε αυτήν την χρονική στιγμή.
Τελευταίο βήμα για τη ζωή γενικά (Ποτέ μην το ξεχάσετε) Ευγνωμοσύνη.
Ευχαριστώ τους καλεσμένους μου που ήρθαν. Ευχαριστώ συλλέκτες που επενδύσατε σε έναν καλλιτέχνη εν ζωή. Και αναγνώρισα ότι χάρη στο πείσμα και στην αφοσίωση στην τέχνη μου, πραγματοποιήθηκε μια ζωντανή εκδήλωση. Οι πραγματικές αλληλεπιδράσεις είναι γεμάτες με πιθανότητες για νέα τέτοια γεγονότα, και όλοι χρειαζόμαστε αυτό το είδος αισιοδοξίας σε αυτή τη χρονική στιγμή. Ευχαριστώ τον κάτοχο της γκαλερί που μοιράστηκε τον χώρο του. Ευχαριστώ τους δημοσιογράφους. Ευχαριστώ τη μπέιμπι σίτερ για τη φροντίδα του παιδιού μας. Ευχαριστώ τους αγαπημένους μου που με υποστηρίζουν. Και έτσι χτύπησα τον εαυτό μου ελαφρά στην πλάτη γιατί έφτιαξα κάτι νέο και ελπιδοφόρο και ζωντανό σε αυτό τον γελοίο κόσμο.
* Η Ταμάρ Λέβι είναι ζωγράφος και συγγραφέας παιδικών βιβλίων. Μεγάλωσε στην Αλάσκα, ζει στο Βέλγιο και έχει «παντρευτεί» την Ελλάδα.
**Διαβάστε ολόκληρο το άρθρο στα αγγλικά εδώ: https://tamarlevi.com/2020/10/07/how-to-run-an-arts-event-during-a-pandemic/***Δείτε περισσότερα στο https://tamarlevi.com/
If you don’t get it yet: I am performing the trailer to my graphic novel DELPHI all in one line.
~ALL IN ONE LINE~
Kalliopi Bolovinou will join me with the classical flute.
So if I look stressed or am not making healthy food choices, I’ll just explain again: trying to birth some overthetop oeuvre over here!
See you from the TEDx stage!
Promo code TEDXULB2020 on tickets Maison Du Bois, Vrijwilligerslaan 2, 1040 Etterbeek on OCT 22nd.
So excited to hear the music Kalliopi Bolovinou has layered into our first live art + music collaboration at TEDx on the 22nd Oct.
We are performing the trailer to my continuous line graphic novel #Delphi. She sent me this pic of her music notes in my script. So awesome!
Nothing is more fun than interdisciplinary arts, in my book. (Literally.)
Promo code TEDXULB2020 on tickets.
Maison Du Bois, Vrijwilligerslaan 2, 1040 Etterbeek on OCT 22nd
Hot off the press!
A Brussels-based article about my current art show… and finally a sneak peek to my next one!
Original article here:
Interview by the very charming Iva Galovic
Photos by Iris Haidău & Anja Strelec
IMMENSITIES is on until Oct 10th.
Art Base, 29 rue des Sables, 1000 Bruxelles
Article text here:
‘IMMENSITIES’ – a window to the world by Tamar Levi
- EDITORIAL TEAM
- OCTOBER 4, 2020
- 4 MINUTE READ
The ever-bustling art scene in Brussels is having a come-back after the pandemic and one of the exhibitions not to miss is most definitely ‘IMMENSITIES” by the artist Tamar Levi, up in Art Base (29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles) until the 10th of October. The collection of around twenty paintings on her travels from Greece to Belgium was painted during the lockdown in Belgium, with the goal to create a window to the world for the viewer and evoke the feeling of freedom. On the occasion of the exhibition and intrigued by Tamar’s life and work, we spoke with the artist who first described to us more how it came to exhibition itself.

‘Due to the pandemic, studio spaces were closed so I painted these twenty canvases during lockdown in my apartment with my family right on top of me. The close quarters inspired a response to the pandemic in my art: I made the landscapes more expansive, and more of an escape view, to create more windows in people’s homes. That’s why the collection is called IMMENSITIES, it’s the big idea of freedom through my painted landscapes, freedom for the viewer’s minds and souls to expand into wide open spaces.’
And indeed, when you look at the pieces in the exhibition, you have this feeling of expansion and freedom, achieved not only by the lines of the strokes but also the fact that the painting doesn’t end with a frame – it flows over it and includes it in itself, breaking all the boundaries and creating a unique sculptural depth for the viewer.
‘My original idea of painting on the frame aims to draw the viewer into the scene, in a sculptural way. This provides the art collector with immediacy for hanging. The bespoke frames provide deep dimensionality. This allows the viewer to step into a scene. Another window for their home.’
And to make this new window view as beautiful as possible, Tamar spent a lot of time carefully choosing the right frames for the paintings to have the perfect match.
‘To prepare for this collection I hunted for the biggest and most beautiful antique frames from markets and auction houses in Athens, Greece and Brussels, Belgium. Then I affixed and painted both canvases and frame simultaneously.’
Tamar is already known to the Brussels audience through her several solo exhibitions and illustrations of books for children, with this exhibition being special for her as it build ups on all the work so far. Having always done drawings in her sketchbook and later illustrations for children’s books, she was now able to go back to those sketchbooks and find the original ideas behind the shapes for this painting collection.

‘I have always done drawings I normally illustrate in pen and ink in a minimalist zen continuous line style, however this collection is unusual for me; it was created with a bespoke mix of bright colours. I think of it as being in the Fauvist tradition of colour practice. These were worked on for months in colour theory research and applied as mixed media with oil pastels to create a cohesion in the collection and a sense of many dimensions in the image. The oil pastel on top of acrylic creates a link between my illustration work and my painting work.’

Growing up in Alaska, Tamar never expected to be based at the heart of European politics. She fell in love with a Greek man, whose career brought them here and then she fell in love with the city as well, with Brussels parks being now one of her main motifs.
‘I just cannot stop painting these parks. Is it some kind of secret that Brussels has over seventy parks and they are gorgeous and characterful and joyous too?’

But Tamar’s fascination with Brussels doesn’t stop there. She sees Brussels as a buffet of nature and culture, exploring the city, museums and all aspects of art.
‘So far I have been exploring the comic book culture, which fits right in with my previous work and current graphic novel project. But I haven’t even started the adventure of discovering the dance culture, which I’m told is a very rich treasure here. I’m sure the talent on the dance scene will inspire some dance-related series of paintings…’
These are just some of the things that inspire this talented and energetic artist whose drive to create keeps moving her forward at all times, so we were very excited to hear about her upcoming projects and exhibitions.
‘My continuous line portraits of women, which were displayed with the European Parliament’s Feminist Forum, will be on exhibit again, this time at the upcoming TEDx conference here in Brussels. I’m really excited to share these portraits with a wider audience. Also, there’s this graphic novel I’ve been working on for 15 years now which I’m illustrating all in one line (but it has to be the right line!). Two years ago I performed the first chapter, all in one line, with live music to accompany the performance art, and so perhaps it’s time to work on the second chapter’s live performance?’
In the near future, Tamar will also start artistic workshops which we are sure will be a success. And if you would like to meet the artist, visit the gallery this Sunday, 4 October, between 2 and 6 pm and have a first-hand experience, enjoying the views Tamar created.

Interview by Iva Galovic. You can follow Iva on instagram for more interesting Brussels stories.
My art profiled on Belgian TV channel BRUZZ by master of the documentary art Anja Strelec.
My favourite part is how she caught my funky hair waving in the wind like a bug’s antennae!
Production: BRUZZ TV
Directed and filmed: Anja Strelec
Culture show type news clip for my exhibition #IMMENSITIES: paintings of my travels through Greece & Belgium
Today & the next two weekends 2 – 6pm
Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
It was challenging for me to share this video because I’m very details oriented and I don’t think the lighting shared the true colours of the paintings.
Here are some of the lovely things people said about the art yesterday that warmed my heart, or made me smile and will keep me motivated to keep making art for you:
“YES! YES! YES! That is EXACTLY how that place FEELS!”

“I can feel the sun on the back of my neck when I look at this one.”
“Could I buy a print of this one that is already sold? Even though it’s not the original painting, the feeling I get is always authentic.”
“There’s something mystical in your use of light.”

“I feel like I could take many different walks in many different directions through these landscapes.”
“This view is where my partner proposed just a few weeks ago!”

“I like that you used unexpected colours.”
“Wonderful paintings – so vibrant, alive and full of feeling!”
“I didn’t expect to see Greece and Belgium with these colours.”

“Your prices are really accessible, thank you. I couldn’t afford original art otherwise.”
“There’s something in the atmosphere of light between the trees that reminds me of the person I’ve started dating and falling in love with right now.”

“Very happy to be here.”
“Amazing work.”
“I’ve been on a pedalo in that lake! You should’ve painted me in a boat right there!”

“Thank you for these so personal colorful landscapes.”
“Thank you for this trip into the happiness of art!”
“These paintings are both feminine and masculine.”

“Painting on the frames is really unique and exciting.”
“I love all the tree ones. I’m a trees guy.”
“You saw lots of colours in this place, you see a lot of the colours because you’re an artist, but I just see an excellent place for me to ride my motorcycle and have one of my greatest rides.”

“I would arrange them in my home in this way…”
“I need to bring back my wife before I buy because she is the boss.”
“I need to bring back my husband before I buy to check he enjoys it too.”
“I need to bring back my child tomorrow so you can inspire them the way you inspired me.”
The exhibition is on until November 2020.
IMMENSITIES Art Show: Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
I hope I’m countering the negativity that’s always in the news by being in the press with positive paintings that people find uplifting.
Translation to English:
I Feel Like an Art Ambassador to Greece
Greece inspires my art.
Tropical beaches in Europe. Guaranteed good weather. Mountains, special architecture and sea. Greece is so beautiful.
My art inspires people to visit it.
I hosted a collector of works of art from Northern Europe at a private presentation of my exhibition, and while they were planning to buy a painting from Belgium, they ended up buying a painting from Greece! They then told me that the location I had painted – Naxos Island in particular – has become their first priority for their next vacation. This makes me proud of the beauty of my “adopted” country. It makes me feel like an art ambassador for Greece.

In addition to beauty
The paintings are not intended to be just aesthetically pleasing, there is still underlying philosophy, mythology, the cultural context.
My painting of Cape Tainaro changes, you might reflect on it more peacefully, when you know it is the mythological gateway to the underworld.

The Temple of Sounion of Poseidon seems more impressively ancient when you feel young compared to the age of the architecture.

The view of Meteora is a unique mix of cultural heritage and ancient geology.

My motivation is that I miss Greece
I named my exhibition IMMENSITIES. This is a collection of great landscapes of Greece and Belgium. Although my life between Greece and Belgium is a “permanent journey,” the boundaries are missing from this collection.
The art collector who came to buy a painting about Belgium, but ended up buying a painting from Greece, taught me that although there is a very personal journey for me here, with the presence of these two countries in my life, and my response, in terms of their beauty, as an aesthetic experience. And yet, even though the collector cannot travel outside the “Red Zone” of Belgium at the moment, they were inspired to visit Naxos. How much I miss Greece was “translated” through art as a source of inspiration into their enthusiasm to visit it.
The collection is presented in an exhibition entitled IMMENSITIES at the Art Base gallery in Brussels from 24 September 2020.
* Tamar Levi is a painter and author of children’s books She grew up in Alaska, lives in Belgium and has “married” into Greece – See more at https://tamarlevi.com/

