Title

Οδός Ονείρων (Street of Dreams)

Creator

Kochyla, Georgia

Abstract

This is a portrait of my Grandfather, surrounded by different kind of fruits representatives of his garden and symbols to our connection and his own life and persona.

I wanted to use color as a temporal element. The subject’s body is colorless underlying the temporality of human flesh. However, the eyes remain colorful and detailed ,conveying “ the mirror to his soul” with all the burdens , the happiness and the nostalgia of an entire life.

The oil branch on the right is the symbol of Crete , where he was born and raised . It is also translated as peace, justice that he achieved after the unfortunate early years of his past . On the other side, the pomegranate tree symbolizes those hardships of war ,neglect and abuse. The rotten fruit seem to "stain" him still .On the top, figs and grapes represent , knowledge and transformation, because he was forced to take the responsibility to “raise himself“ without absorbing the corruption of the abusive years in orphanage.

His garden is located in “Οδός Ονείρων”( ‘Street of dreams’) –he, himself named that street- . And apart for being symbols ,the fruits also highlight our relationship; since I can remember myself ,I was spending my summer days watching him growing his garden and me with love. A simple, grounding love that offered me these mental images to cherish forever.

Artist Statement

My work explores emotions and mental images through a maximalist lens. I’m drawn to bold colors and symbolism, using them as tools to evoke introspection and connect personal narratives with broader human experiences.​

In my recent piece “Street of Dreams”, I portray my grandfather surrounded by symbolic fruits from his garden—each representing phases of his life and our bond. The figure’s colorless body reflects the temporality of flesh, while his vibrant eyes remain the focal point, a mirror to his soul. His gaze invites us to be vulnerable with him – What pomegranate stains each of us?​

This work ,personally is a way to honor the transformation of a man shaped by abuse and neglect , turning it into innocence and love, and to invite viewers to consider their own stories of regeneration and the core memories with loved ones we tend to bury. The process was experimental and emotional—shifting from details’ constraints to raw , freeing techniques.​

Keywords

eyes

stain

legacy

Subject

Visual Arts

Date Available

May 22-23, 2025

Type

Drawing

Course

AR 2023 Figure Drawing I

Instructor

Miga, Eirini

Session

Visual Arts Exhibition

Location

Arts Center Gallery

Event

Year 2025 | 9th Annual Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium