A self-taught artist born in Greece and based in Barcelona, Nikolaos (or Nikos) Schizas conceptualizes his artistic practice – and the dynamic, gestural paintings he produces – as a powerfully physical way of expressing and releasing intense emotions. Employing acrylic paint, resin, and a variety of painting implements – from traditional brushes to squeegees and spatulas – Schizas crafts his large scale abstracts through a spontaneous, intuitive process that evokes mid-century Abstract Expressionism.

For Schizas, there is no invented code wherein certain shapes or colors are direct representations of certain emotions. Yet, his dynamic palettes and the sheer intensity of his mark-making clearly translate his complex feelings into a universally readable format on his canvases. He views his work as not merely an expression of his own emotions, but an invitation to the viewer to work through and let go of their own burdensome feelings before they are consumed by them.