Dionysis Livanis - Public Domain

About

Public Domain is a series of interventions in newspapers, magazines, on the street and other public spaces that explore the relationship between the artist’s own image and himself. By publicly displaying a passport-like portrait of himself, he focuses on our pathological attachment to our image and on the vulnerability and sense of insecurity we may have when exposed, either in front of the camera or when our photograph is publicly displayed.

Deadpan and disruptive, Public Domain investigates identity within the urban environment. The work challenges the viewer who is confronted with the absurdity of an uncanny portrait and the ambiguous and provocative misuse of advertising space.

The work is temporary and immaterial. It consists of the repeated gesture of self-displaying and being exposed by the use of different mediums and within different contexts. What remains to document the work is a set of photographs, copies of newspapers and magazines and the posters on the streets that have an accidental life of their own, constantly adding new layers to the work.

Dionysis Livanis (b. 1974, Athens, Greece) is a London-based multi-disciplinary artist whose practice includes performance, interventions, photography, video and mark making. Drawing from the learnings of conceptual art and employing an intuitive working methodology, he investigates the dynamics around art creation and practice. Through individual and collaborative projects he raises questions around power and control between the artist, the subject and the audience. Dionysis Livanis has participated in exhibitions in Athens, Istanbul, London and Tokyo. He has contributed to international publications and lead workshops in Athens, Barcelona, Beirut and Istanbul.

http://artcantchangetheworld.com/