Maria Touloupa
My work combines my interest in religious art and symbolism with visual communication by merging photography and design, embracing in this way, female divinity.
About
Maria Touloupa is a UK-based artist from Greece. Her work is multidisciplinary, exploring themes of existentialism, surrealism, religions and personal growth. She uses a variety of visual media to convey her message, like painting, digital collage, printmaking, video, photography as well as writing. Her current work focuses on manipulated photography and printmaking. By altering original photographs, her aim is to uncover hidden scenarios and fictional narratives, that usually flow within a series of images, which in combination make up a solid completed work. The imagery captured conveys a dreamlike essence, creating almost illusionary worlds, as if manipulating the original photos is a means to expose the hidden reality behind those captured staged scenes and characters taking roles in them.
The Devine Femininity project represents her interpretation of divinity through a modernised depiction of female saints. The portraits displayed, focus on female beauty and divinity in a fantasized world of human decay and Artificial Intelligence occupation. This project aims to integrate traditional concepts with modern concerns about humanity, feminism, and political and societal issues, where humans no longer live in a world of traditions, but a surreal imitation of normality.
St Agatha
Agatha was tortured due to her devotion to Christianity and refusal to marry Quintianus. She is usually depicted with her breasts torn off and displayed on a platter since that was one of her punishments.
St Francesca
In Giovanni Baglione’s altarpiece painted in 1611, Saint Francesca Romana is shown kneeling on a cloud, being instructed by an angel from a book. This altarpiece became the image which most associated Francesca with, hence the symbolism depicted in the images is a book and intense lighting.
St Eulalia
At age 13 she left home and decided to confront Governor Dacian for his persecution of Christians, which led to her punishment in pursuit of her admitting the error of her ways. Eulalia is usually shown crucified on an X-shaped cross or holding it.
If you are interested in buying my work, you can find prints and merchandise at the Mathiew entrance Degree Show shop, or through my Instagram, as well as on my Etsy account.