Collage+poetry

The Modern Woman/Η Συνχρονη Γυναικα

Collage on canvas by Angela Zafiris

Collage on canvas by Angela Zafiris

High heels
Red lips
She’s careful to never slip
Chin up in the air when she walks
The confidence in her talk
Her ‘multi-tasking’ ability
She’s mastered the code between women
Closeness to the creation
Her love of pretty things
Long hair shining in the sun
Her obsession with beauty
Critical of her body
A career,  marriage and children
All happen so effortlessly
Her pride
Her ego
Are as strong as any mans’.

The modern woman, so much is expected from her. To be everything and to do everything.  She is not simple, she’s very complicated.. I can go on and on about her. The discussion is never-ending.

FYI-The words in Greek are ‘Woman or child?’, ‘Goddess within’ and ‘fearless’.

The Heart Is Revealed/Η Καρδιά Αποκαλύπτεται

‘The Heart is Revealed’ Digital Collage and poem by Angela Zafiris

The heart is revealed

In the darkest of times

Exposed to the four winds

To the storms outside

A heart weathered by time.

For my latest digital collage I layered two photographs, a photograph of the sea, and a photograph of statues that I took at the museum in Ancient Olympia in Greece. I then added the scanned collage background that I made. I came across a photo of a heart from a magazine and scanned it . I added the heart photo to the photograph of the female statue. The end result reminded me of a poem that I wrote a while back , so I thought I would add the poem. I named the digital collage after the poem.

Για την πιο πρόσφατη ψηφιακή κολάζ μου εβαλα δύο στρώσεις φωτογραφίων.  Μια φωτογραφία που εβγαλα στην παραλία και την δευτερη που τραβηξα στο μουσείο της Αρχαίας Ολυμπίας στην Ελλάδα.  Στη συνέχεια, πρόσθεσα το σαρωμένο κολάζ φόντο   που ειχα φτιαξει. Βρηκα μια φωτογραφία με μια καρδιά από ένα περιοδικό και την σαρωσα στο υπολογιστη. Επειτα την πρόσθεσα στη φωτογραφία του γυναικείου αγάλματος. Το τελικό αποτέλεσμα μου θύμισε ένα ποίημα που έγραψα πριν απο καιρο και έτσι πρόσθεσα το ποίημα, το τιτλο του ψηφιακο κολαζ ειναι απο το ποιημα.

The Burdens of Atlas/Το Βαρος Του Ατλας

Mixed-media colage on 24 x 32 cm paper
By Angela Zafiris

For my latest collage titled ‘The Burdens of Atlas’ I used a photograph of a statue of Atlas that was in a shop window in a souvenir shop in Athens. I printed it using a laser jet printer and then I painted over the photo since it was a black and white photograph.  I wrote a poem inspired by the myth of Atlas with some inspriring words at the bottom.

We can all relate to the symbolism of of the Titan Atlas in Greek mythology. Atlas was condemned to carry the Uranus (sky) on his shoulders by Zeus when the Titans lost their battle against the Olympians.

When we walk down the street we see people who are not free. They walk with their guilt, anger, fear and other negative emotions on their backs. These emotions and feelings are weighing people down.  They feel heavy like Atlas. We all  must release these burdens from our backs and learn to love themselves so that they can love others.

 ATLAS

By: Angela Zafiris

With the burdens of a thousand years

Come down from the clouds

Walk on solid ground

Look to the sky once and a while

You walk alone with the burdens of a thousand

Years on your shoulders

Disappointments and regrets you must forget

You have lived, you have lived.