Alexi Charovas

About

As a Hellenic-born, London-based visual artist, Alexi finds himself situated between the realms of art and fashion photography. His creative inspiration draws heavily from the virility of Greek and Roman sculptures, as well as the colour palette and tonalities of the Renaissance era. Alexi’s artistic foundation stems from an organic and self-directed approach to learning. His interest in photography began when he was a young. Known as ‘the one who takes the best pictures,’ Alexi would use his Kodak instamatic camera for taking family pictures and personal portraits.

However, while he has always been driven by their own intuition and experimentation, Alexi recognizes the value of formal education in providing a structured framework for artistic growth and development. After receiving his First-Class Honours Bachelor of Arts from the School of Arts at the esteemed University of Westminster, Alexi has been honored to receive a scholarship to attend the prestigious Royal College of Art. There, hi will continueed to hone his craft through a challenging and inspiring MA program in Photography.

In recent years, Alexi’s photographic style has evolved into a style that blends the vibrant and expressive brushstrokes of painting with the crisp lines and bold shapes of graphic design. His work is heavily inspired by the dreamlike imagery and visual poetry of surrealism, as well as the emotive and atmospheric qualities of pictorialism. Rather than adhering to strict representationalism, Alexi delights in pushing the boundaries of what is possible with image manipulation, constantly testing the limits of colour, texture, and form to create unexpected and compelling results. By exploring the medium of photography from multiple angles – from the initial photographic capture to postproduction, to the final presentation of the printed image – he is able to create works that are not just visually striking, but also conceptually rich and intellectually engaging.

With his most recent body of work, Alexi aims to examine the nuanced and multifaceted nature of male gender representations, while simultaneously problematising and challenging the normative ideas and practices of masculinity that have been shaped by hegemonic notions of nationalism.

Reclaiming ‘Τσολιάς’

A new Vision of Greek Identity and Gender

In this series of portraits, I delve into the complex interplay of gender, tradition, and personal identity through the lens of my own experiences growing up in Greece. Each image is a narrative, a chapter in my ongoing journey of self-discovery, challenging the rigid confines of Greek hypermasculine identity.

From my earliest memories, the fabric of my identity was woven with threads of expectation and rebellion. As a child growing up in Greece, the shadow of the ‘Τσολιάς’ (tsolias) loomed large – the epitome of the hyper-masculine identity that my mother, with intentions rooted in pride and tradition, draped upon me at every national celebration. It was a costume both familiar and foreign, a rigid shell wrapping a spirit that yearned to breath the air of childish playfulness. Yet, in the skirt of the ‘Τσολιάς’ I found that unexpected playfulness, dancing in the liberating embrace of a skirt, dreaming of balletic freedom. Whirling, a contradiction to the masculinity the skirt sought to proclaim. This duality became a playground for my curiosity, a space where my discomfort and affinity amalgamated into a complex relationship with the costume.

This work is my response, a performance of self-defying the confines of a prescribed masculinity. In the final instalment of my exploration into the performative dimensions of Greek masculinity, this project employs the iconic ‘tsolias’ costume as a canvas to interrogate, deconstruct, and redefine the traditional conceptions of gender within Greek culture. Through a series of three studio portraits, each featuring different individuals donned in the regalia of the ‘tsolias,’ this collection captures a deliberate, and bold juxtaposition of masculinity against undertones of femininity and vulnerability, challenging the viewer to reconsider the rigid frameworks of gender identity.

By integrating elements traditionally viewed as feminine, such as high heels with pompoms and red nail polish, into the masculine iconography of the ‘Tsolias’, the project invites viewers to question and potentially redefine what these symbols can represent. This fusion of the conventional with the unconventional not only challenges viewers’ perceptions but also celebrates the potential for a more inclusive understanding of gender identity within cultural heritage.

Collectively, these images serve not just as portraits but as visual essays that question and expand the narrative of what it means to embody the ‘tsolias.’ They argue that the traditional symbols of masculinity can also express freedom, openness, and a divergence from normative gender performances. This project, therefore, not only reclaims the ‘tsolias’ as a multifaceted symbol of Greek culture but also repositions it within a contemporary discourse on gender fluidity and identity. Through these visual dialogues, I aim to dismantle the binary views of gender, advocating for a more inclusive understanding that embraces individuality and complexity over conformity.