Iakovos Volkov

about this diary

I started painting graffiti on walls when I was 15 and living in Thessaloniki. Over time, my thoughts about art evolved. I began creating installations in deteriorating areas of the city, mainly in abandoned factories. Since moving to Athens in 2014, I have frequently been invited to participate in gallery and museum exhibitions. For these venues I created sculptures that were site specific, independent freestanding works or pieces that could be installed on a gallery wall.

Primarily I work with discarded things - plastic, clothes, textiles and everyday items are my basic materials nowadays. I see value in things overlooked by others. Flowing from my history as a graffiti artist, I began building word sculptures. More recently I have also explored working abstractly, building objects and installations focused on composition and materials.

I deeply feel one can create meaningful work from small, ordinary things found abandoned on the street. Carefully observing my environment and experimenting with discovered materials, I construct meaning from the discarded, meticulously reconfiguring what society has worn out and broken. I restore life into forgotten places with what I have saved, giving a reason to consider places no longer noticed. For me, this work is essential.

Iakovos Volkov

Monday, August 19, 2013

some things i was missing but not anymore... or i might just lying to myself...

Monday, August 12, 2013

these are my places, these are my vacations...

Thursday, July 25, 2013

a secret abandoned factory somewhere far away...

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

there are no limits, just do it all...

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

sometimes i do meaningless, selfish and boring letters in the streets of my permanent studio but you already know that...

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

i'll cross you out if you...