The Onion: an artist’s tool kit

Not a literal onion, but just as the vegetable is multi-layered, so is an artist’s creative process and Lia Haraki’s new two-day workshop in English focuses on clarifying the elements that compose the anatomy of an artist’s body of work.

Creation is usually the development or construction of an idea towards an end result. In Haraki’s workshop on March 20 and 21 in Limassol, participants will be given a different perspective to the creative process as a process of undoing rather than doing by removing the unnecessary, so that the outcome can be revealed rather than developed.

By using onion peeling both as a metaphor and as a practise, the participants will be guided to ‘peel off’ unnecessary layers that keep the artwork hidden and locked. The workshop specifically deals with eight issues that influence and determine the creative process. These are explored through practical exercises as well as writing, sketching, mapping, listing, thinking and discussing, which work towards the reflection, articulation and clarification of the elements that make up one’s artistic universe.

“The Οnion workshop,” says Haraki, “is about learning to cut out the noise that keeps us from listening to our deep artistic desires. It’s really a workshop on listening to what is left when all the ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’ and ‘shouldn’ts’ are ignored. It is a frame that gives artists time and space to be alone, which really means all-one with their creative being.”

Open for artists of all art forms, the workshop will take place at Dance House Lemesos between 9.30am and 2.30pm for a limited number of participants. As such, registration is on a first-come-first-serve basis. Those interested must email [email protected] by March 18.

“If you need a workshop to concentrate, confront, clarify your art practice, then that’s the place to be”.

The Onion: An Artist’s Tool Kit

Workshop by Lia Haraki on the creative process. Open to all artists. March 20. Dance House Lemesos, Limassol. 9.30am-2.30pm. €50. In English. Registration is required at [email protected]