info

Dimitra Charamandas (*1988 in Solothurn CH) is Swiss-Greek artist working across painting, video, text, sculpture, and food. Her practice foregrounds the sensory and the tactile, using different visual languages to convey the tension between fragility and force, care and abuse; beauty and brutality. Her curiosity for the interactions of body, mind and psyche under the influence of socio-political and ecological realities forms the driving force behind her work.

In her vast paintings, sculptures and smaller mixed-media works, the artist approaches landscapes as a series of bodies: A jagged coastline path that traces the extremities of an island; a gentle slope that leads to a smoking crater; a body of water that divides continents and enables or inhibits the flow of real, human bodies.

Through slow travel and the observation of minute, cyclical changes, Charamandas’s practice embodies an ecofeminist worldview that challenges a prevalent value system of speed and efficiency in the name of productivity. In her her artistic gatherings centered around food and community exchange, she invokes a politics of care, boldly embarking on traditionally “nurturing” endeavors in a context that would see them sidelined or devalued.

Charamandas received an MA in Fine Arts at the Institute Art Gender Nature, Basel (2022) and a BA of Arts at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Recent solo presentations include Tides, Kunstmuseum Solothurn (2023), Little inlets, Helvetia Art Foyer Basel (2023), Body of Water, Body of Stone, Gypsum Gallery, Cairo (2022), Do not take me for granite, Ann Mazzotti Gallery, Basel (2022), Bassa Marea, Museo Castello San Materno, Ascona (2022). She has organized food gatherings in Frankfurt, Athens, Lucerne and Basel and is co-founder and part of the artist collectives Espacio Pacha with Irene Trujillo and Quince Collective with Johanna Schaible. In 2021 she co-published Amphorea Me Kéfi (self-published), in 2023 Pale Shapes Of Livers And Kidneys (Kunstmuseum Solothurn). Her work is held in institutional and private collections. She lives and works in between Solothurn and Athens.

 

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exhibitions

09/2023

Tides, Kunstmuseum Solothurn, Solothurn CH – Solo

06/2023

A Coloured Blanket Over Invisible Things, mit Marcel Freymond, Galerie König Büro Zürich CH - Duo

05/2023

Little inlets, Helvetia Art Foyer, Basel CH - Solo

11/2022

Do not take me for granite, Gallery Ann Mazzotti, Basel CH – Solo

10/2022

Body of Water, Body of Stone, Gypsum Gallery, Cairo EG – Solo

09/2022

Bassa Marea, Museo Castello San Materno, Ascona CH – Solo

08/2022

Peace or Never, graduation show of Institute Art Gender Nature, curated by Fernanda Brenner and Chus Martínez, Kunsthaus Baselland, Muttens CH

10/2021

Fragility - Surreal reality, vivid dreams, with Oliver Krähenbühl, Haus der Kunst St. Josef, Solothurn CH - Duo

06/2021

Konferenz #2 – Lernen von Lust, speakers — contributors: anaïs stein & gabi soliman / luststreifen, ingo niermann / army of love, tying with friends / fabian/ropunawa, faye/freyahellesdim, isith, me kefi / dimitra charamandas, pina haas, sol & angel, adrian notz, steve valentin, sebastian gebhard, juice & rispetta, marcel freymond, johannes willi, olivier rossel, Pilz Welle Lust Art Space, Basel CH

11/2020

Freispiel 2020, curation in collaboration with Gergana Mantscheva for Kunstverein Solothurn, with works by Franziska Baumgartner, Matthias Wyss and Roshan Adhihetty, Graphisches Kabinett Kunstmuseum Solothurn CH

11/2019

35. Annual exhibition of the Canton of Solothurn, Kunstmuseum Olten CH

10/2019

Spirit of Exploration, Ad Hoc group show with works by Dimitra Charamandas, Adrian Falkner, Nadja Kirschgarten, Andrea Nottaris und Filib Schürmann, curated by Christoph Oeschger, Nomadic Art Projects, Ex-Herrenglobus, Olten CH

10/2019

Unfrozen Education - Or how to Relearn, curation of the group show in collabortion with Yota Tsotra, with works by Dawn Nilo, Tassos Tataroglou, Johanna Schaible, Susanna Asp, Panos Chasapis, Maria Glyka, Vassilis Vlastaras, Adonis Volanakis, Dimitris Rentoumis, Jonan Svensson, Irene Trujillo, Yota Tsotra and Dimitra Charamandas, Rethymno, Crete GR

11/2018

Brasserie St. Jo, Haus der Kunst St. Josef, Solothurn CH

11/2018

34. Annual exhibition of the Canton of Solothurn, Kunstmuseum Solothurn CH

10/2018

An der Kante (Solo), Salon Mondial, Christoph Merian Stiftung, Münchenstein CH

10/2018

The lands we Know, organized in cooperation with A-1 publishers and Remo Krieg, with work by Seraphin Lenoir, Laura Locher, Gergana Mantscheva, Zuri Camille de Souza, Jimmy Granger, Konstantinos Stratis, Johanna Schaible, Dimitra Charamandas, Project Space Sfera, Athens GR

10/2018

Frozen Education, curated by Yota Tsotra, together with Panos Chasapis, Maria Glyka, Aspasia Krystalla, Dimitris Rentoumis, Tassos Tataroglou, Yota Tsotra, Vassilis Vlastaras, Kathrin Siegrist, Adonis Volanakis, with the Xeniseum Museum of Education (MoE-X) of the University of Crete with Prof. Anthony Hourdakis and Dr. Kostas Christidis,  Kasko Basel CH

03/2018

S H O W, together with Christoph Grill, Andreas Heller, Cinthia Mitterhuber, Alfons Pressnitz, Lisa Reiter, Christoph Srb und Roswitha Weingrill, Galerie Schnitzler und Lindsberger, Graz AUT

12/2017

Crib II., with Claudia Comte, Mitchell Andersen, Tobias Nussbaumer, Jennifer Scherer, Mathis Pfäffli, Pascal Zobrist, Dominique Wyss, Julian Jakob Kneer, Stella, Oliver Roth, Nico Müller – Kuratiert von Yves Scherer, Galerie95, Biel CH

11/2017

Bis ich über den Tellerrand falle, performance in cooperation with Barbara Gasser, Cello, Schloss Waldegg, Feldbrunnen CH

03/2017

Protagonisten in experimentellen Reichen, with Gergana Mantscheva, Nora Mesaros, Anja Sei, Galerie Bueffelfish, Dresden DE

02/2017

SECHSUNDDREISSIGMINUS, with Grégory Sugnaux, Maude Schneider, Tanja Laeri, Sarina Walter, Sebastian Utzni, Irene Bisang, Flurina Badel & Jérémie Sarbach, Laurina Fässler, Laura Lazura, Kunsthalle Luzern CH

11/2016

Freispiel with Maja Rieder and Lex Vögtli, Graphisches Kabinett, Kunstmuseum Solothurn CH

09/2016

Uncertain ground (solo), Galerie Schnitzler und Lindsberger, Graz AUT

08/2016

20m2, Fenster ins Atelier von Dimitra Charamandas,
Kunsthaus Grenchen CH

04/2016

Uncertain ground (solo), Galerie Soon, Zurich CH

03/2016

Opening Galerie Rigassi by Soon, Bern CH

12/2015

All the noise, performance in cooperation with Laura Maj and
Manuela Wanner, Kapelle Schlösschen Bleichenberg Biberist CH

11/2015

Following structures, Schlösschen Bleichenberg, Biberist CH

07/2015

Bohren in Welt - Tonto Sweatshop, with Frédéric Guille, Vera Hagemann, Igor Hofbauer, Simon Häußle, Max Höfler, Michael Jordan, Helmut Kaplan, Klaus Meßner, Kai Pfeiffer, Bernhard Raschl, Léo Quiévreux and Edda Strobl, Forum Stadtpark, Graz AUT

05/2015

Mind the gap in between oder: Affektgedanken, videoinstallation
at the Galerientage Graz 2015, Forum Stadtpark Graz AUT

05/2015

Vorher/Nachher, with Simon Häussle, A.M.Jehle, Henc van Maarseveen, Alice Milani, Dace Sietina and Ingeborg Strobl, Forum Stadtpark Graz AUT

03/2015

Tengo no tengo (by human nature) (solo), Galerie Rössli, Balsthal CH

12/2014

30. annual exhibition of the canton of Solothurn,
Kunstmuseum Solothurn CH

12/2014

Tengo, no tengo, (solo)
Espacio de Arte y Cultura El Mentidero, Bogotà COL

11/2014

Nuit Blanche, in cooperation with Johanna Schaible,
Newtown Hall, Prague CZE

06/2014

Aujourd`hui était hier était auhourd`hui, Bannières au Baby Plage,
Geneva CH

04/2014

Nuit blanche, Fumetto Schleuder with Johanna Schaible, Galerie Tutti Art,
Lucerne CH

12/2013

Annäherungen, together with Gergana Mantscheva,
Galerie9, Solothurn CH

09/2013

Exhibition Förderpreisträger 2013 of the canton of Solothurn, Künstlerhaus S11,
Solothurn CH

06/2013

Werkschau, Lucerne University of applied Science and Arts,
Messehalle Lucerne CH

05/2012

Galerie Näijerehuus (Solo), Hersiwil CH

12/2011

27. Annual exhibition of the Canton of Solothurn, Kunstmuseum Olten CH

07/2010

Pädagogische Hochschule Solothurn CH

grants

2024

Travel grant Latin America,
Atelier Mondial, Christoph Merian Stiftung Basel

2017

Grant for Art, Kurt und Barbara Alten Stiftung

2016

Travel grant Greece,
Atelier Mondial, Christoph Merian Stiftung Basel

2015

Grant for Painting, Art and Culture, Regiobank Solothurn

2014

Fumetto-Schleuder Fumetto Festival Lucerne, with Johanna Schaible

2013

Grant for Art, Canton of Solothurn

residencies

10 –
12/ 2024

Latin America, travel grant Atelier Mondial, Christoph Merian Stiftung

07/2018

A-1 publishers, Mytiline, Greece

04 –
10/2017

Athens, Greece, travel grant Atelier Mondial, Christoph Merian Stiftung

10/2015

Artists House Fokionos Negri, Athens, Greece

05/2015

Forum Stadtpark, Graz, Austria

09 –
11/2014

Espacio de Arte y Cultura El Mentidero, Bogotà, Colombia

acquisitions

2024

Five works from the series As the sun breaks into the day (ongoing),
Christoph Merian Stiftung

2023

My eye is a lake (2023), Helvetia Art Collection

2023

Caldera, Heat (2023), Kunstmuseum Solothurn

2021

A painting from the series Brute Fragility (2021), Kanton Solothurn

2018

Particles: Nightfall, 150/100cm, oil on cotton, 2018
Particles: Dawn, 150/100cm, oil on cotton, 2018

2017

Draussen wirft jetzt jemand Steine ins Wasser (2016),
Roche Art Collection

3 paintings from the series Die andere Hälfte für das Risiko (2016),
Art Collection Migros Aare

Iron, from the series Split (2016), Art Collection Migros Aare

Nocturne (2016), Kunstverein Solothurn

Red powder (2016), Kunstverein Solothurn

2015

Laughing heirs (2015), Canton of Solothurn

2014

Promesa (2014), Canton of Solothurn

Tres chicas (2014), Canton of Solothurn

Madre (2014), Canton of Solothurn

publications

2023

Pale Shapes Of Livers And Kidneys, with texts by Lara El Gibaly and Eleni Riga, published by Kunstmuseum Solothurn

2021

Amphorea Me Kéfi, 292 pages, self-published in collaboration with Regula, Stelios and Pavlos Charamandas, Martina Meier and Johanna Schaible

2018

On the edge / Στην άκρη / An der Kante, a trilingual publication,  A-1 publishers

2014

Nuit blanche, 52 pages, Edition Fumetto, with Johanna Schaible

2013

Das Meer der Anderen, 96 pages, self - published