Greek Visual Artists and the Shaping of American Art in the 20th Century

The current exhibition, “Greek Visual Artists and the Shaping of American Art in the 20^th Century”, presented at the Athens Municipal Arts Center until October 30^th, highlights the role played by Greek and Greek-American artists – “Greeks of the Diaspora” – in the formation of an American visual language with a global and lasting impact. In a time when connections between the local and the global are once again being sought, the exhibition, co-organized by the Hellenic Diaspora Foundation and the Organization of Culture, Sports, and Youth of the Municipality of Athens (OPANDA), serves as a vibrant cultural link and a vehicle for cultural diplomacy. (Cover photo: Artwork creation by Christos Antonaropoulos)

Georgia Manolopoulou, curator of the exhibition, Museologist and Researcher in Cultural Diplomacy, notes that “art has always been a bridge. And this exhibition functions as such a bridge, between places and times, between the memory and matter of Greek cultural heritage and the dynamism of the American avant-garde, between the silent influence and the recognized role of the Greek Diaspora. An aspect of the creative Diaspora that, although actively present in the formation of the international artistic avant-garde, often remains invisible in public discourse in Greece. The exhibition attempts to bring this contribution back to the forefront, not as an act of restoration, but as an opening towards interconnection and co-creation”.

Featuring 23 artists of Greek descent, 176 works, and decades of creative presence in the USA, the exhibition offers a lived narrative in which each work reveals the inner tension of “belonging” and “co-belonging,” artistic expression as an act of identity, and the influence of the Greek perspective within American avant-garde. According to the curator of the exhibition, Georgia Manolopoulou, “culture and Art created by Greek Americans is not merely the sum of individual works; it is participation in a new version of the Common Place, where Art becomes a means of presence, soft power and co-creation. In this context, the contribution of the Greek Diaspora is not only evidence of successful integration, influence, and co-creation, but also an example of cultural diplomacy from within. An informal but essential ethical and political act, where aesthetics becomes a language of common understanding, acceptance, and dialogue, and difference becomes a field of coexistence rather than exclusion”.

Nina Leen, The Irascibles, November 24, 1950, Black and white photograph, 34×27 cm, Collection of the Hellenic Diaspora Foundation. The photograph depicts two Greek visual artists: on the left, Theodoros Stamos, first in the front row, and William Baziotes, second in the middle row, who profoundly influenced the Abstract Expressionism movement, known as the New York School (Source: Catalogue of the Exhibition). The Irascibles or Irascible 18 were the labels given to a group of American abstract artists who put name to an open letter, written in 1950, to the president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, rejecting the museum’s exhibition American Painting Today – 1950 and boycotting the accompanying competition. The subsequent media coverage of the protest and a now iconic group photograph that appeared in Life magazine gave them notoriety, popularized the term Abstract Expressionist and established them as the so-called first generation of the putative movement. Life magazine decided to publish a photo story for their January 15, 1951 edition, which would document the results of the competition and feature a photograph of the protesters. Front row: Theodoros Stamos, Jimmy Ernst, Barnett Newman, James Brooks, Mark Rothko; middle row: Richard Pousette-Dart, William Baziotes, Jackson Pollock, Clyfford Still, Robert Motherwell, Bradley Walker Tomlin; back row: Willem de Kooning, Adolph Gottlieb, Ad Reinhardt, Hedda Sterne (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irascibles)

Georgia Manolopoulou also notes that “Greek visual artists and those of the Diaspora contributed values, ideas, forms, and innovative practices, and forged a network of relationships through art studios and universities to galleries, major museums, and public spaces. Through their work, these creators transformed their relocation and their new home into a creative force, and cultural diversity into a source of innovation. Gestural surfaces and fields of color (Stamos), new sculptural materiality and expression of matter (Voulkos, Benglis), the relationship between typography, city, and light (Chryssa), as well as the radical anatomy of self-image (Lucas Samaras), are milestones in a polyphonic but coherent and unique artistic journey. At the same time, the lyricism of William Baziotes reveals how memory and myth can be integrated into modernism with sensitivity and inner balance”.

Theodoros Stamos, Sentinel, 1962-1964, Oil on canvas, Dimensions 173 x 152.4 cm (left), Infinity Field, Lefkada Series, 1977, Αcrylic on canvas, Dimensions 182.9 x 152.4 cm (right).

Theodoros Stamos (1922-1997) was born in New York to a family of Greek immigrants. Initially he attended evening sculpture classes at the American Artists School; he shifted to painting in the late 1930s. Influenced by artists like Milton Avery and Henri Rousseau, his style evolved toward surreal biomorphism and later abstract expressionism. In the early 1950s, Stamos joined the famous group known as “The Irascible Eighteen”. He exhibited widely, including with André Emmerich’s gallery until 1970. That year, he moved to Lefkada, Greece, and began his Endless Fields series. His works are in major museums such as the Met, MoMA, and the Whitney. (Source: hellenicdiaspora.org)

William Baziotes, Sphynx, 1947, Oil on canvas, Dimensions 96.5 x 75.2 cm (left), Indolence, 1951, Oil on canvas, Dimensions 76.3 x 61.4 cm (right).

William Baziotes (1912-1963) was born in Pittsburgh to Greek parents and grew up in Pennsylvania. In 1933, he moved to New York and studied at the National Academy of Design. Influenced by surrealism and expressionism, Baziotes developed a biomorphic abstract style. He exhibited widely, including solo shows at Peggy Guggenheim’s Art of This Century gallery (1944) and Samuel Kootz’s gallery (1946). In 1948, he co-founded the Subjects of the Artist School alongside Rothko and others. Baziotes was also part of “The Irascible Eighteen. His works are held in major museums such as the Met, MoMA, and Whitney. (hellenicdiaspora.org)

Nassos Daphnis, #26-66, 1966, Epoxy paint on paper, mounted on masonite, Dimensions 87 x 121.9 cm (upper), Untitled, 1982, Acrylic resin and enamel on canvas, Dimensions 223,5 x 185,4 cm (lower left), Untitled, 1977, Enamel on canvas, Dimensions 190,5 x 228,6 cm (lower right).

Nassos Daphnis (1914–2010) was a Greek-born American artist and a pioneer of hard-edge painting. Immigrating to the U.S. at 16, he began painting without formal training and held his first solo show in New York in 1938. After serving in World War II, his style evolved from surreal biomorphism to bold geometric abstraction, influenced by Piet Mondrian. He developed a personal color theory and became known for vibrant compositions with sharp lines and contrasting hues. Throughout the 1960s–1980s, he experimented with plexiglass, monumental murals, and even computer-generated designs. Daphnis’s work bridged minimalism and abstract expressionism with both structural precision and expressive energy. His paintings are held in major institutions, including MoMA, the Whitney, and the Met. (Source: hellenicdiaspora.org)

New York, 1982, 25th Anniversary Lunch of Castelli Gallery at The Odeon. Standing left – right: Ellsworth Kelly, Dan Flavin, Joseph Kosuth, Richard Serra, Lawerence Weiner, Nassos Daphnis, Jasper Johns, Claes Oldenberg, Salvatore Scarpitta, Richard Artschwager, Mia Westerlund Roosen, Cletus Johnson, Keith Sonnier Seated left – right: Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Leo Castelli, Ed Ruscha, James Rosenquist, Robert Barry. Photo: Hans Namuth (Source: hellenicdiaspora.org)

Chryssa Vardea-Mavromichali , untitled (Chinese relief), 1981, Charcoal, pastel and pencil on paper, Dimensions 49 x 49 cm (left), Bouzouki Capital, 1957, Bronze, brass, ivory, limestone base, Dimensions 39 x 37 x 37 cm, Base 75 x 42 cm (right).

Chryssa (1933–2013) was a pioneering Greek-American artist known for her innovative use of neon lighting in sculpture. Born in Athens, she studied in Paris and San Francisco before settling in New York in the 1950s. Influenced by the vibrant urban life of New York, she created iconic works such as The Gates to Times Square (1966), combining neon, steel, and plexiglass. She exhibited widely, including at MoMA, the Whitney Museum, and Documenta, and collaborated with leading galleries like Betty Parsons and Leo Castelli. Returning to Athens in the 1990s, she created the Cinema Oasis series, blending neon, aluminum, and city sounds. Chryssa’s work is held in major museums worldwide, including MoMA, the Hirshhorn Museum, and the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens. (Source: hellenicdiaspora.org)

Peter Voulkos (1924-2002), Walking Man, 1990, Fired stoneware, Dimensions 71,1 x 50,8 x 40,6 cm (upper), Stoneware basin, Fired stoneware, Dimensions 12,7 x 50,8 cm (lower left), Ice bucket No2, 1986, Fired stoneware, Dimensions 35 x 47 x 46 cm (lower right).

Peter (Panagiotis) Voulkos was born in Bozeman, Montana, to Greek immigrant parents. He studied ceramics at Montana State College. Voulkos revolutionized ceramics by blending traditional techniques with abstract expressionist styles, creating large-scale, gestural works. He chaired the ceramics department at the Los Angeles County Art Institute and later taught at the University of California. His work expanded to monumental bronze sculptures exhibited widely, including a solo show at MoMA in 1960. Voulkos held hundreds of exhibitions, earned numerous awards, and influenced the transformation of ceramics from craft to fine art. (Source: hellenicdiaspora.org)

Stephen Antonakos, MA 13, 1980, Col-erase pencil on paper, Dimensions 43,18 x 35,56 cm (upper), Floor Neon, 1967, Mixed Media, Dimensions 35.6 x 55.9 cm (lower left), Neon, 1967, Mixed Media, Dimensions 35.6 x 55.9 cm (lower right).

Stephen Antonakos (1926–2013) was a Greek-American artist known for pioneering the use of neon lighting in contemporary art. Born in Laconia, Greece, he moved to New York in 1930, where he began drawing and working in advertising. In the late 1950s, he started creating three-dimensional constructions and, by 1960, became one of the first artists to use neon tubes as an artistic medium. His work explores the interplay of light, color, and architectural form, blending painting and sculpture. Antonakos exhibited internationally, participated in major events like Documenta and the Venice Biennale, and created public installations across the US, Europe, and Asia. His pieces are held in prestigious collections including MoMA, the Guggenheim, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Source: hellenicdiaspora.org)

Lucas Samaras, Chair Transformation, 1969-70, Corten Steel, Dimensions 240 x 150 x 45 cm (upper left), Drawing #2, 1982, Colored pencil, on black cutout wove paper, Dimensions 44,5 x 29,2 cm (upper right), Panorama, 1984, Polaroid collage, Dimensions 27,3 x 81,3 cm (lower)

Lucas Samaras (1936–2024) was a Greek-American artist known for his innovative work in photography, sculpture, and installation art. Born in Kastoria, Greece, he moved to the United States in 1948. He studied at Rutgers University and Columbia, influenced by mentors like Allan Kaprow and George Segal. Samaras gained early recognition for his experimental use of materials such as aluminum foil and mirrors. In the 1960s, he created his famous “Mirrored Room” installations and began transforming everyday objects in his sculptures. He is also renowned for his “AutoPolaroids,” a photographic series exploring self-identity through distorted and manipulated self-portraits. Samaras exhibited widely, including at MoMA, Whitney Museum, and Documenta. His retrospective exhibitions have been held internationally. His work is held in major collections such as the Guggenheim and Tate Britain. Throughout his career, he explored themes of self-exploration, transformation, and the boundaries between reality and illusion. (Source: hellenicdiaspora.org)

Lynda Benglis (1941), Weaver, 1999, Aluminum with gold leaf, Dimensions 33 x 33 x 17.8 cm (left), Bird’s Nest, 2016, Glazed ceramic, Dimensions 92,7 x 21,6 cm (right).

Lynda Benglis, born in 1941 to a Greek-American family – her father was a son of Greek immigrants from Kastelorizo – grew up in Louisiana and studied painting at Tulane University. Moving to New York in 1964, she became known for her innovative sculptural works using materials like latex and polyurethane foam, challenging traditional art forms and minimalism. In 1969, her work featured in the Whitney Museum’s Anti-illusion exhibition. Benglis embraced feminist ideas, creating provocative installations and videos exploring gender and identity. She taught at various universities and continued evolving her practice through glass, ceramics, and large-scale sculptures. Benglis has exhibited globally, with works held in major museums like MoMA and the Guggenheim. (Source: hellenicdiaspora.org )

The Hellenic Diaspora Foundation is based in Patras, and holds in its collections over 2,000 works of art, including paintings, sculptures, as well as visual artworks and installations by artists of Greek descent who lived in America or other countries abroad during the 20^th century. The Foundation collects, preserves, and maintains contemporary artworks with the aim of promoting Art and Culture. It utilizes contemporary art as a tool for inspiration, education, research, innovation, and development.

The Hellenic Diaspora Foundation ensures access to research, knowledge, and the connection of the wider public with contemporary art; supports contemporary artistic creation; collaborates with cultural institutions, both public and private, domestically and internationally, as well as with civil society, implementing joint contemporary art initiatives; supports new ideas, creativity, and innovative productions; promotes understanding between different cultures through dialogue with its exhibition collections; embraces the belief that culture should not be regarded as a luxury, but rather as the cohesive fabric of societies, a source of collective memory, knowledge, inspiration, spiritual liberation, and creativity.

(Source: The Hellenic Diaspora Foundation)