Sophie Charalambous
I and the Village
Monday 7 April — Saturday 3 May 2025
Currently showing at the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery in London until Saturday, May 3rd, is “I and the Village,” an engaging exhibition of new works by British-Cypriot artist Sophie Charalambous. Based in Hackney, Sophie recently shared with us the inspiration and creative journey behind this collection of watercolours and monoprints, which beautifully explore her memories and observations of the Cypriot landscape. From the echoes of Chagall’s artistry in the exhibition’s title to the deeply personal connections within her portrayals of nature and village existence, Sophie’s insights offer a rich understanding of the stories and emotions imbued in each piece currently on display.
Hello Sophie, how are you? Can you tell us a bit about yourself, who you are, where you’re based, and what you do?
Hello Camille and Isabelle, thanks so much for your interest in my work. I am a visual artist and my studio is in Hackney where I am painting, drawing and printmaking.
Could you tell us about your show ‘I and the Village’ at Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery?
This is my second exhibition with the gallery and in a way is a sequel. I am exhibiting a body of new watercolours and monoprints which extend motifs I frequently use including Prickly pear and fig trees, goats and birds into more expanded landscapes.
These are part remembered, part imagined and loosely based on a village and the surrounding countryside in Cyprus I have been visiting for the past ten years. I began the work for this show last March when I went to Cyprus to make small watercolour studies directly from observation.
What message or feeling do you want to convey through this exhibition?
My work is about looking at and celebrating how beautiful nature is; the darkness and the lightness. The deep connection I feel to the Mediterranean landscape, its flora and fauna. Much of my imagery comes from some form of encounter either through drawing or just being present in the moment and observing the natural world.
Could you elaborate on the significance of Marc Chagall’s ‘I and the Village’ and how it relates to your own work and exhibition title?
I have looked at Chagall’s work throughout my artistic life and have always loved and related to his world view of the interconnection between beings, the plants, animals and his mystical and religious motifs, growing up and memories of the small Russian town of Vitebsk. My paternal family is from Cyprus and I frequently visited as a child and have continued to as an adult, somehow his work connects to this, so much of his imagery is familiar including the small community life, farm animals, traditions and rituals of the church and folklore. This painting encompasses all of this, and I have also been inspired by his bold use of colour.
The exhibition focuses on the cycle of life in Cyprus. What are some of the specific rituals, traditions, or aspects of Cypriot life that you’ve incorporated into these paintings?
I have incorporated some of the seasonal changes in the landscape into this exhibition mostly through colour but also motifs that connect to different times of year including birds, butterflies, fruits and flowers.
Your work blends observation, memory, and imagination. Can you describe your process of creating these paintings, from initial observation to the final composition?
I usually start with drawings and for this show I made some watercolours directly from the landscape in Cyprus last Spring. I also made many drawings from the film “Quattro Volte” which has beautiful imagery of village life, trees and goats and themes I wanted to explore. I then made monoprints from some of these initial studies and painted into them. I will also do some research into themes I want to tie into larger work for example depictions of animals on Greek attic black pottery. When I have the beginnings of a larger composition I will draw it out in pastel on a large sheet of paper. I always put a coloured wash down first as I find the white paper too bright to work on.
Could you tell us about your material choices and techniques you use? How do these materials contribute to the unique aesthetic and feel of the paintings?
I have for the past 15 years or so been working on Khadi paper, which is made out of cotton rag rather than tree pulp. The large sheets are quite special, very thick and the work becomes an object . I paint with watercolour building transparency through washes and then opaque colour with gouache. I would say I work tonally, constantly adjusting the balance of light and dark to create focus and drama.
You’ve had diverse experiences, from studying theatre design to teaching at the Royal Drawing School. How have these different paths shaped your artistic perspective?
Teaching is interesting, it is collaborative like theatre but in a different way. You are responding to a student’s work very directly and there is always a conversation happening, likewise if you are working with a model as I do a lot at the Royal Drawing School, you are collaborating with their particular unique skills. I was lucky to be taught by Mike Leigh when I was studying theatre design at the Motley Design School and he spoke about the democracy of drawing and the life room. I enjoy the days when I'm in my studio working alone but also my time teaching where interesting shared conversations and encounters happen.
What are some of the challenges and rewards of working on such large-scale paintings?
I think as an artist you have a natural scale you find most comfortable and the 100x140 khadi paper sheets work well for me, not too big to be intimidating but large enough to create something expansive. It's quite a human scale. I work quite slowly and it may take a couple of months or more to create a watercolour.
Nature plays a significant role in your art. Do you have a favourite season for observing plants in nature, and how does it impact your creative process?
I like Spring and Winter best both in the UK and in Cyprus. Spring for the many fresh greens to try and recreate in painting and winter for the bare stripped back trees which I love to draw with pen and ink.
Are there specific plants that hold a special meaning for you? If so, can you tell us why they are significant?
I have for many, many years drawn and painted Prickly Pear trees which in Cyprus are everywhere growing like weeds. The light falls on them in the most beautiful way with an infinite variety of greens. They have beautiful yellow flowers in the spring and bright red fruits in the summer which you can eat and are delicious. They have a very special name in Cyprus “Papousosiko” which translates as the shoe fig, because the shape of the leaf is like the sole of a shoe. I always feel this connects me to my Grandmother who was obsessed with buying us shoes when we were children. They were very poor in the village and didn’t have shoes until they were teenagers so it was special for them to buy us shoes.
Are there any particular colours or forms in Nature that you still find fascinating?
I feel as fascinated by the forms and colours of nature as I ever have and am currently looking forward to signs of Spring in my garden and find it incredible that it comes back every year even more beautiful.
Sophie Charalambous @charalamboussophie
I and the Village
Monday 7 April — Saturday 3 May 2025
Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery
2a Conway Street, Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6BA, UK
@rebeccahossackartgallery