“Naughty Miniatures”: The new exhibition of Stella Kapezanou

The exhibition maintains a strong feminist character as the artist, for the first time with small-scale works or “naughty miniatures”, captures the complexity of the female experience

Following her recent work presentation in New York, Stella Kapezanou comes to Thessaloniki. The renowned visual artist is responsible for the visual identity of the 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival with her work Corn Maidens, which dialogues with this year’s festival theme, We, the Monster.

In conjunction with her participation in this year’s festival, Apodec—micro exhibitions—hosts the pop-up exhibition Naughty Miniatures. The central figure of the exhibition, The Fisherman’s Wife, is surrounded by mischievous girls, black cats, prickly pears with breasts, phallic lilies, and other small works that showcase Stella’s power and aesthetic, combining her vibrant colors with impressive detail in her design.

The exhibition maintains a strong feminist character as the artist, for the first time with small-scale works or “naughty miniatures” as she calls them, captures the complexity of the female experience, blending realism with abstraction and symbolism with imaginative compositions. Occasionally, animals appear unexpectedly among human figures, adding depth and complexity to the narrative, while a series of works feature titles inspired by the poetic collection Endepsizika by George Seferis.*

Through her work, Stella Kapezanou raises questions about the conventions of painted representation, while her art remains a continuous exploration of the female world, full of dynamism and provocation.

The dictionary defines Endepsizika as “spells with obscene words, used by women to ignite a man’s desire.” The word derives from the Turkish “edepsiz,” meaning a rude, unmannerly, insolent, or bawdy person.

* The dictionary defines Endepsizika as “spells with obscene words, used by women to ignite a man’s desire.” The word derives from the Turkish “edepsiz,” meaning a rude, unmannerly, insolent, or bawdy person.