Artifacts to Contain is a group of three paintings on acrylic panel that reference ceramic vessels I created in response to ancient Cypriot and Cypriot folk pottery. These works explore the ways objects hold memory, function, and personal mythology. Rendered in vivid green, the vessels depicted in these paintings echo traditional forms while embracing exaggeration and abstraction. Two of the pieces feature an excessive number of handles, inspired by my ceramic work Vessel to Contain Nightmares, where the handles act as both an aesthetic choice and a conceptual exploration of burdens, anxieties, and attachment.

By translating these sculptural forms into painting, I aim to examine the fluidity between material and representation. The use of acrylic panels creates a luminous effect, allowing the vessels to feel simultaneously present and ethereal—suspended between artifact and interpretation. Through these works, I reflect on the cultural lineage of Cypriot ceramics while infusing them with personal narratives, highlighting the way objects—whether ancient or contemporary—serve as vessels for our fears, histories, and emotions.

This series continues my ongoing engagement with archaeological themes, questioning how history is preserved, altered, and reimagined through artistic intervention.