In her latest exhibition, Revixit, showing at Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq gallery in Mqabba, artist Jo Dounis delves into the realm of 3D. Dounis, known for her signature styles of fluid and textured art – which featured in her last three solo exhibitions – is now showing an unexpected array of sculptural works executed from wood and mixed media elements. 

“Venturing beyond her comfort zone with each solo exhibition, Dounis demonstrates a swift evolution in her artistic journey and mastery across diverse mediums,” says Melanie Erixon, the exhibition’s curator. 

Artist Jo Dounis

“In this body of work, Dounis focuses on wood, which she rescued from various locations and, in some cases, even countries. It revolves around the concept of giving new life to what was abandoned or destined to be destroyed until Jo saw something in them which she then brought back, thanks to her artistic intervention.

“Each sculpture has a story to tell – where it came from and how it was rescued, or even what she saw as she lovingly set about reviving it,” she says.

The curator noted that viewers can observe Dounis’ evolution in her art, particularly in some of the pieces where her painterly style is applied directly to these complex and intricate pieces of wood.

However, Erixon noted that these mostly exhibit the passion and whimsy of these sculptures, which the artist asserts came spontaneously to her – a natural progression in her journey and a collection which she thoroughly enjoyed creating.

Dounis is a Maltese-born acrylic and mixed media artist who left the island as a young adult to live and work in Greece and Italy, returning to her homeland 18 years later.

Gossamer

A student of both art and interior design, an industry in which she has worked for over 20 years, Dounis has a foot in both worlds and has always had the belief that these two worlds can mesh together to create something special and meaningful in one’s environment.

Her art style ranges from fluid, where she manipulates diluted paint to create organic and flowing designs, to highly textured paintings, where she creates a tactile experience for the viewer, to three-dimensional sculptures, where she breathes new life into materials destined to be disposed of, sometimes using crystals, minerals and other elements to enhance the beauty which she sees in her mind’s eye. She is known for her versatility and originality, striving to be different from the norm.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

She has participated in numerous collective exhibitions throughout the years as well as having three solo exhibitions, with Revixit being the fourth. Her art can be found in private collections in Malta as well as in North America, Australia, the Middle East and several countries in Europe.

Revixit by Jo Dounis is showing at Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq till July 7.