Tatiana Zagari (b.1984, Athens, Greece) , also known as Pottato, is an artist from Athens with a diverse academic background in economics and graphic design. Since 2019, she has been associated with Dio Horia Gallery, gaining recognition through participation in group exhibitions and esteemed art fairs. Zagari's artistic approach, rooted in self-teaching, centers on handmade earthenware ceramics, serving as intimate canvases for personal narratives, fairy tales, and explorations of emotions like fear, anxiety, and desire.
The foundational elements of her work, including tactility, beauty, and subjectivity, provide Zagari a unique avenue to convey nuanced aspects of experience. The intricate process of creating each piece, involving molding, forming, thermal processing, glazing, and firing, underscores Zagari's dedication to achieving precision with ease. Crafted with meticulous care, each piece becomes a vessel, summoning past experiences or emotions and capturing a moment in an irreplicable way.
Ultimately, Pottato's ceramics serve as tangible expressions of intangible sentiments, infused with levity, humor, and character. From ghostly figures in sandals to motifs inspired by motel pools and daily attire, her functional vessels and sculptures embody a whimsical sense of individuality, offering a captivating exploration of both form and narrative. Her artistic prowess is evident in her ability to address profound issues such as quarantine, mental health, and climate change with spirited creativity, presenting a unique perspective that embraces a "pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will."