Visual Arts in Greece: 1950s–1990s - Part 5/6

Modernism in Greek visual arts has been a dynamic and evolving field throughout the 20^th century, shaped by the country’s rich cultural heritage, political changes, global influences and the advent of new media and technology. It is characterized by the exploration of abstraction, experimental techniques, and the use of modern materials, offering a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of Greek identity, history, tradition and modernity. Through a series of articles, Greek News Agenda presents a brief panorama of the Greek visual art scene in the second half of the 20^th century. The articles are based on the catalogue of the landmark exhibition at the National Gallery “Metamorphoses of the Modern – the Greek Experience”, curated by Dr. Anna Kafetsi (14.5-13.9.1992). The exhibition aimed to address the complex question: “Does a Greek modernism, in fact, exist? And if so, what is its character?” More than 100 Greek artists—both from the Greek metropolis and the Diaspora—were featured in the exhibition and selected for their “autonomous plastic language”. About 50 artists, key figures of the post-war Greek visual art scene, are explored in greater depth in the series.

Visual Arts in Greece: 1950s–1990s – Part 5/6: “From rhetoric to cultural representation”

(Source: Dr Anna Kafetsi, Catalogue of the exhibition “Metamorphoses of the Modern – the Greek Experience”, National Gallery, Athens, 1992, p.223-4)

“Parallel to the trend which led to the predominance of the gesture, the process and ultimately the idea as opposed to the object, another group of artists reintroduced the problem of representation – though this time on new critical, rhetorical and cultural terms. The canvas continued to provide them with suitable – even fertile – ground for analytical research, while their unusual sculptures turned in the direction of realistic (and frequently anthropomorphic) imagism […] “Pure” painting did not hesitate to return to the real, especially in its political and social dimension […] Realistic depictions based on photographs were the medium enlisted by many painters either to denounce the brutality and cynicism of political reality or to contrast it with the process of art, which metamorphoses without beautifying. Black-and-white surfaces, inspired primarily to imitate photographs, dominated production in the visual arts for a long period after the mid-Sixties, and were far from unrelated to overall political conditions on the local and international levels (the Vietnam war, national liberation and social uprisings, dictatorships) […] The new figuration, when it was not an extrapolation of the fragmentary and self-absorbed rhetoric, introduced a number of new features. The basic function of representation relied not on the mental powers of perception but on cognition of the real by perceptual means […]

FEATURED ARTISTS (PART 5): MYTARAS, KOKKINIDIS, PSYCHOPEDIS, SOROGAS, ZOUNI, THEOFYLAKTOPOULOS, BOTSOGLOU, PAPACONSTANTINOU, VAROTSOS

Dimitris Mytaras, Leather Gloves, 1975, oil on canvas, 200 x 134 cm, Athens National Gallery (left), Studio, 1993, oil on canvas, 220 x 180 cm, Athens National Gallery (right)

DIMITRIS MYTARAS (Chalkida, 1934 – Athens, 2017) studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1953-57). In 1961-64, he continued his studies in Paris at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs. In 1975, he was elected professor at the Athens School of Fine Arts. His early work, during the period of the Greek military junta (1967-74), is characterized by a shift towards critical realism. This phase featured the use of photographic documentation, a limited color palette, and political narratives. Following this, expressionistic elements and vivid colors dominated his anthropocentric style, often focusing on portraits. Throughout his artistic career, Mytaras was highly active in the exhibition field, participating in notable events such as the Biennale of Alexandria (1958, 1966), the São Paolo Biennale (1966) and the Venice Biennale (1972). In addition to his painting, Mytaras was extensively involved in set design, illustrations, and applied arts. His work Dexileos was placed at the ‘Dafni’ Athens metro station. Mytaras also published writings that include essays and studies on art, as well as articles and poetry. (Source: Athens National Gallery, Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET)

Dimosthenis Kokkinidis, March 1968 (left), March 1968 (middle) and July 1967 (right), 1968, From the series: And regarding the remembrance of evils … 1967-1997, acrylic on conservation cardboard stuck on sea-water resistant plywood, 117 x 60.6 cm, EMST

DIMOSTHENIS KOKKINIDIS (Piraeus, 1929 – Athens, 2020) studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1952-58). In the ‘60s, he turned to more politically charged themes that reflected the turbulent atmosphere of the era. The works of that period reveal a critical commentary achieved through violent chromatic tensions and expressionistic distortions, rather than through the coldness of realism (War-Violence, the remembrance of evils, Identities, Protests). In the ’80’s his art focused to personal experiences revolving around nature and human communication. His commitment to painting distinguishes him from his peers of the 60’s generation, whose art evolved outside of Greece. His works are characterized by color values, an elliptical morphoplastic vocabulary, and a sense of fragmentation. In 1976 he was elected full professor at the Athens School of Fine Arts. Kokkinidis presented his works in solo and group exhibitions, including the ‘Art & Dictatorship’ section of Europalia (Belgium, 1982), the Kassel Documenta (2017), and also published several studies on art. (Source: Athens National Gallery, Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET)

Yannis Psychopedis, Neo-Hellenic Space, 1978, coloured pencils (collage) on paper, 118,5 x 43,5 cm, Athens National Gallery (top), The Undelivered Letter, 1982, mixed materials, 40.1 x 52 cm, EMST (lower left), Seminar, 1980, mixed materials, 64.4 x 88.9 cm, EMST (lower right)

YANNIS PSYCHOPEDIS (Athens, 1945) studied printmaking at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1963-68) and participated in student association activities and youth rallies. He continued his studies at the Academie der Bildenden Kunste, in Munich (1970-76) on a DAAD scholarship. He was later invited by the Public Artistic Program of West Berlin, where he settled until 1986. In 1971, he co-founded the art group ‘Young Greek Realists’ (1971-1973), which presented figurative paintings with socially critical content and also served as a form of anti-dictatorial protest. In 1986, he moved to Brussels and returned to Greece in 1993. In 1994, he was elected professor at the Athens School of Fine Arts. His work is characterized by a realistic criticism of social, political and cultural phenomena of modern times, with references to history, the ancient Greek world, European art, and autobiographical memories. He organized numerous solo exhibitions worldwide, including a major touring exhibition of his works in German museums (1980–81). He also participated in several art events, including the Kassel Documenta (2017). In 2004 he created a large installation for the ‘Eirini’ station of the Athens Metro. (Source: Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET)

Sotiris Sorogas, Stone, before 1977, powdered pigment and acrylic medium on canvas, 200 x 180 cm, Athens National Gallery (top left), Landscape with rocks, 1967, charcoal on paper, 35 x 50 cm, EMST (top right), Old Machine Part, before 2002, acrylic and coal, 80 x 140 cm, Athens National Gallery (lower)

SOTIRIS SOROGAS (Athens, 1936) studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1955-1961). In 1972, on a grant from the Ford Foundation, he travelled to New York, Chicago, London and Milan to familiarize himself with modern art. His early works show affinities with the politicized photorealistic tendencies that emerged during the Greek military junta (the use of black-and-white photos, spots of red, e.t.c.). However, his later work shifted toward a more poetic exploration of decay and time. His painting is characterized by precise drawing in often monochromatic and fragmentary compositions, where he develops lyrical, narrative elements through a dialogue between space and objects. Sorongas has presented his work in solo and group exhibitions both in Greece and internationally, including the São Paolo Biennale (1981), the Brussels Europalia (1982). Also interested in art on a theoretical level, he has published articles in newspapers and magazines. In 2010, six of his large compositions were placed at the ‘Stathmos Larissis’ station of the Athens Metro. (Source: Athens National Gallery, Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET)

Sotiris Sorogas’ Poetic Approach to Time and Memory

Opy Zouni, One -Level Space. Allussion to De Chirico, 1978, wood panel and plastic, 150 x 225 cm, Athens National Gallery (top left), Temple, 1981, lithograph, 62,3 x 60 cm, Athens National Gallery (top right), Reflections, 1982, acrylic on wood, pebbles, water, 274 x 476 x 72 cm, Athens National Gallery (lower)

OPY ZOUNI (Cairo, 1941 – Athens, 2008) studied painting, pottery, and photography in Cairo. In 1963, she moved to Athens, where she continued her studies at the School of Fine Arts. The main theme that preoccupied her work was the transition from two dimensions to three, as well as the passage from a closed space to an open one. Through geometric shapes, bold colours, and a lyrical mood, she captured light, shadow, motion, and perspective, making the vast space feels even more immense due to the absence of human figures. The distinctive atmosphere of her work springs partly from the coexistence of linear strictness and the freedom of emotive interventions. Her visual creations also included series of prints and multiples, experimentations with technological media, photographic interventions, video, and more. Zouni presented several solo exhibitions in Greece and abroad and participated in international conferences and hundreds of group exhibitions. She regularly attended the international Printmaking Biennials and Triennials. In 1971, she was awarded the State Prize at the Festival International de la Peinture of UNESCO (Cagnes-sur-mer). One of her works has been placed at the ‘Egaleo’ station of the Athens Metro. (Source: Athens National Gallery, Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET)

Makis Theofylaktopoulos, Composition, 1966, oil on canvas, 78 x 86 cm, Athens National Gallery (left), Untitled, 2010, oil on canvas, 120 × 110 cm, EMST (right)

MAKIS THEOFYLAKTOPOULOS (Athens, 1939 – Athens, 2023) studied at the School of Fine Arts, graduating in 1965. From 1969 to 1974 he lived and worked in Lausanne, Paris and then New York on a grant from the Ford Foundation. In 1988, he was elected professor at the School of Fine Arts at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he remained until 2005. His work was immediately associated with the sociopolitical tensions of the era and his own explosive temperament as a painter. Influenced by social issues, he focused on human beings, the central motif in all his painting, while the motorcyclist became the main symbolic figure of his entire oeuvre. Gradually distancing himself from realistic depiction, he experimented with avant garde techniques for a time but ultimately opted for a style based on expressionism. Theofylaktopoulos presented his work in solo and group exhibitions in Greece and abroad, including the Alexandria Biennale (1977), the Brussels Europalia (1982), and the Traveling Exhibition of Greek Art in Toulouse (1986). (Source: Athens National Gallery, Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET)

Chronis Botsoglou, Face I, 2003, aquatint, sugar – ink, dry point, 71 x 50 cm, Edition 5/25 EMST (top left), Work accident, before 1976, tempera on paper, 100 x 176 cm, Athens National Gallery (right), Frieze, 1972, 18 panels, tempera and acrylic, 65 x 900 cm, EMST (lower)

CHRONIS BOTSOGLOU (Thessaloniki, 1941 – Athens, 2022) studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1960-65) and continued his studies at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris (1969-1972). He was involved in the creation of the art group Young Greek Realists and participated in its exhibitions (1971-73), presenting works with critical content during the period of the dictatorship in Greece. His realistic period, beyond its clear ideological background, was also a time of exploration in the design and colour formation of the human form within painting space, and his interest in this area continued in the following years. His work is characterized by existential references, an exhaustive processing of form, and the physicality of the painting material. In 1989, he was elected professor at the Athens School of Fine Arts, where and taught until 2008. Botsoglou presented several solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions in Greece and abroad, including the São Paulo Biennale (1969) and the Kassel Documenta (2017). He also illustrated poetry collections and collaborated with writers and theorists, regularly publishing his own texts. (Source: Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET)

Leda Papaconstantinou, Deaf and Dumb, 1971, performance. Maidstone College of Art, Maidstone, and public sites, London, UK. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Roy Tunniclife (top left), Photograph from the performance in the framework of the solo exhibition The Box, 1981 (Gallery 3, Athens), Performers: Leda Papaconstantinou, Lesley Walton (alias Sally Smith), Photo by Erricos Karrer (top right), Installation view of the exhibition Time in my Hands. Leda Papaconstantinou. A Retrospective, 14.12.2023-21.04.2024, EMST (lower)

LEDA PAPACONSTANTINOU Papaconstantinou Leda (Ambelonas, Larissa, 1945) studied graphic arts at the Doxiadis School in Athens (1962-65). Afterward, she moved to Great Britain, where she studied Fine Arts in London (1967-68) and Kent (1968-71), staying there until 1974. She had already abandoned traditional art media by 1969 and began exhibiting spatial and action artworks in the spirit of the avant-garde trends of the ‘60s. She was one of the first artists that introduced such art forms in the Greek visual arts scene during the ‘70s, such as environments, happenings and performances. Her work is characterised by a consistent investigation into female identity, with a particular focus on the body. Through her multifaceted artistic practice, she reexamined issues related to desire, sexuality, and both collective and personal memory, using art as a tool for social, political, and ecological reflection. Papaconstantinou has held several solo exhibitions in Greece and abroad, and participated in numerous group exhibitions, most notably the Europalia (Antwerp, 1982) and the São Paulo Biennale (1989). In 2010, she created a large composition entitled “Time in my hands” for the ‘Monastiraki’ metro station in Athens. (Source: EMST, Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET)

Costas Varotsos, Spiral, 1991, glass, iron, 185 x 182 x 90 cm, Athens National Gallery (top left), Untitled, 2004, Installation, mixed media, variable dimensions, EMST (top right), The Runner II, iron, glass, 8m, Vassilissis Sofias avenue, Athens, photo varotsos.com (lower)

COSTAS VAROTSOS (Athens, 1955) studied painting at the Academia di Belle Arti in Rome (1973-76) and architecture in Pescara (1976-81), where he began his career with exhibitions and performances. In 1999, he was elected professor in the Architectural School at the Polytechnic University of Thessaloniki. In his sculpture, Varotsos seeks to create an interaction between his projects and their surroundings. He often creates works in situ, as artistic interventions in urban spaces or in natural landscape. Certain themes (Horizons Labyrinths, Bridges), occasionally reappear in his work. Some projects specifically built for public spaces have been created in consultation with the residents, fostering a dialogue between art and the public. In addition to Greece and Italy, Varotsos has presented his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions worldwide. He has also participated in the Europalia (1982), the Venice Biennale (1993, 1995, 1999), the São Paulo Biennale (1997) and the Kassel Documenta (2017). His work has also been installed at the ‘Doukissis Plakentias’ Athens Metro station. (Source: Contemporary Greek Art Institute, ISET, https://costasvarotsos.com/)

I.A.