In December 2019, the work of Greek artist and psychotherapist Dimitra Natskouli represented a convergence of therapeutic practice, religious art tradition, and contemporary visual expression. Natskouli studied psychology at the National and Kapodestrian University of Athens before pursuing specialized training in dance movement psychotherapy at Goldsmiths College University in London as a scholar of the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY). She has worked with diverse populations in Greece and abroad using art as a therapeutic instrument.
Natskouli’s study of Byzantine iconography occurred under the guidance of professor G. Kordis and later under iconographer and street artist Fikos, with further immersion in iconographic tradition within an Orthodox monastery in Greece.
Artistic Practice and Symbolism
Her work, primarily consisting of portraits and compositions, draws inspiration from psychological states that reflect a timeless and innocent dimension within human consciousness. Natskouli employs iconographic art in modern form to communicate the sacred as eternally present, or presence as eternally sacred. This dimension exists within the viewer, with artworks serving as mirrors to reflect it. She incorporates symbols derived from the archetypal unconscious and uses body posture as symbol itself to reveal psychological states of being. Her practice explores how time and timelessness, flesh and spirit, separation and unity coexist, weaving opposites together to reveal the sacred soul of humanity.
Exhibition History
Natskouli’s recent exhibitions included participation in the group show C’è Posto per Te! at D’E.M. Venice Art Gallery, curated by Giancarlo Da Lio (12–22 September 2019), and the International Art Exhibition at Hotel Boutique Santa Croce, curated by Elena PetrasDuleba (10 May–22 November 2019), both in Venice. Solo exhibitions included Vision of Purity in Greece (2019) and Between Sky & Earth in Greece (2015). In 2017, she published The Caravan of the Drunken Prayers, a book combining haiku poetry and illustrations through Archetypo, alongside a corresponding solo exhibition in Greece.
Frequently asked questions
What is Natskouli’s educational background?
Natskouli studied psychology at the National and Kapodestrian University of Athens and specialized in dance movement psychotherapy at Goldsmiths College University in London as a State Scholarships Foundation scholar.
How does Natskouli combine iconography with contemporary art?
She uses Byzantine iconographic art in modern form to communicate the sacred as eternally present, incorporating archetypal symbols and body posture as visual language to reveal psychological states and the sacred dimension within viewers.