Following the extended production of home workout videos that overwhelms social media platforms, visual artist PASHIAS appropriates – cleverly and with humor – the format and aesthetic qualities of digitized communication means, inviting an audience to mimic images and gestures that characterize his recent performance practice. In the “Artist’s Workout Guide”, PASHIAS proposes a set of physical exercises “to keep you in fit shape and sharp focus” in an attempt to connect with viewers through their home screens, according to the new standards safeguarding personal and social well-being. The steps to be followed take reference from martial arts, the sports of archery, basketball, and from scenes reminiscent of Olympic gymnastics. The body creatively acquires abdominal ‘visuals’ in seconds, learns to construct a bow out of bull’s horns, finds the courage to transform into a shooting target, and self-applauds to achieve the sentiment of ‘victory’.
The practice of visual artist PASHIAS is grounded in the field of performance art, installation, video, and photography, establishing the artist’s body as a primary material for creation. PASHIAS has presented solo exhibitions in Cyprus and Greece and has participated in group exhibitions and international festivals in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Bulgaria, Turkey, Belgium, Canada, and Brazil. He has collaborated with cultural organizations, such as the Marina Abramović Institute, Estonia Contemporary Art Museum, SESC São Paulo, Institut Supérieur des Beaux-Arts de Besançon and the Mediterranean Biennale of Contemporary Art. PASHIAS co-founded epitelesis - Performance Art Foundation as an international platform for the support of cultural activities has been engaged in curating exhibitions and series of events on the relationship of live action to other artistic practices and has been working as an educator/lecturer through various academic programs.
