Drawing the Human Figure: A Consistent Presence in the Work of Electra Varnava

Throughout the artistic development of Electra Varnava, the human figure has remained a recurring point of focus. From her early drawings to her more recent exhibition work and portrait commissions, the study of the human form has provided a foundation for both technical exploration and artistic expression.

After completing her studies at the School of Fine Arts of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and returning to Cyprus in 2011, Varnava continued to develop a body of work increasingly associated with realism and careful observation. According to her biography, her appreciation for the harmony of nature, combined with an emphasis on proportion and structure in drawing, contributed to a growing interest in realistic representation.

The human figure occupies an important place within this approach. As a subject, it offers both structural complexity and expressive potential. Through observation of form, proportion, gesture and expression, artists have historically explored questions of identity, emotion and presence. These themes continue to appear within Varnava's work.

Her first solo exhibition, ART VS CULTURE (2014), presented a series of graphite drawings that demonstrated a strong commitment to drawing as a primary medium. More than a decade later, her second solo exhibition, Atαξία – (P)HAOS (2025), once again placed the human figure at the center of the work while examining broader themes related to order, disorder and the relationship between visible and unseen realities.

The exhibition text accompanying Atαξία – (P)HAOS describes a process through which drawings emerge gradually through observation, layering, erasing and redefining form. Within this context, the figure becomes more than a subject of representation. It functions as a framework through which themes and experiences can be explored visually.

This ongoing engagement with the human form is also reflected in Varnava's portrait commissions. Working from personal reference photographs, she creates portraits that emphasize likeness, expression and individual presence. While each commission serves a different purpose, the same attention to observation and drawing remains evident throughout the process.

Viewed across exhibitions, studio practice and commissioned work, the human figure provides a consistent thread connecting different stages of Electra Varnava's artistic journey. It reflects a continuing interest in observation, structure and the expressive possibilities of drawing, while remaining open to new themes and evolving directions within her work.