Theodora Dagkli Andonopoulos

MFA Painting, 2025

When the universe sees that someone’s people are not there for them, it sends in a stranger to numb the loneliness. The Clown and Star are those strangers.  

My work explores power dynamics within familial and non-familial structures. It directly addresses trauma responses, mental health complications, sentimentality, and both physical and conceptual traps. The work is shaped as a narrative where main characters The Clown, Star the wiener and villain, Lester the cat address all the above.  

This work ranges from sketches and dioramas made from recycled, repurposed materials, specifically paper, cardboard, and paper mâché. The characters themselves exist as paper puppets or illustrations.  

In this world, anytime a character enters a traumatic response or flashback, their surroundings become patterned with stripes, polka dots, checkers all in black and white.  

The purpose of the work is to treat these subjects in a relatable manner, allowing the viewer to connect on a personal level. It proceeds with the idea that mental health struggles, when shared with company, create hope. When we struggle mentally, having a friend makes it harder to let go and easier to want to get better. After all, The Clown knows that if he were gone, Star could never understand why.