Born in 1978 in Thessaloniki,
Lives and works in New York.
The sculptural installation Please Moisturize Me provides to the viewer the ability to convey information concerning the nature and the post vandalized use of common media. The viewer becomes a witness of trapped pieces of melted, recycled PVC in a cocoon- web of acrylic yarn. The toxic-petroleum based materials have been manipulated into organic forms that formalize parts of human tissue, skin or flesh. The industrial product through artistic process becomes familiar, human, desirable. The smell of baby powder that smoothly covers the whole surface of the installation keeps alive a series of sweet and bitter memories and the sense of fragility, softness and human existence.
The pieces focus on the simulative allegory of an unknown creature, created from recycled plastic-left over trashes of our contemporary urban culture. The ephemeral structure and the abstract installment of the forms allows multiple and diverse approaches to the nature, formulation or importance of contemporary sculpture.
Proposal for Twice A Stranger:
Public Hair
My recent art work is based, designed and characterized by the notion of adapting a critical dialogue between materials and utility, viewing object verses viewer, substance and subject while exploring the meaning of existent space and adapting the methodology of evolution. Each project and used material is the result of modification of prior use with refined intentions and specific handling. After constant manipulation and transfiguration this led my process into an action of continuous collecting, reevaluating, recycling and arranging a great variety of formal, conceptual and aesthetic aspects.
During my stay in Istanbul 2010 I plan to create a site-specific installation-sculpture all made out of local peoples human hair. Part of the project is to collect cut/trimmed hair from local barbershops, haute-couture salons and transform them into human sized sculptures that will convey information concerning the significant importance and the secret journey of hair after leaving our body.
Hair (usually called fur in nonhuman mammals) is a protein filament that grows through the epidermis from follicles deep within the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, it is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class. Hair has great social significance for human beings. It can grow on most areas of the human body, except on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet (among other areas), but hair is most noticeable in most people in a small number of areas, which are also the ones that are most commonly trimmed, plucked, or shaved. These include the face, nose, ears, head, eyebrows, eyelashes, legs and armpits, as well as the pubic region. The highly visible differences between male and female body and facial hair are a notable secondary sex characteristic. The installation will give to the viewer the chance to explore the apocalyptic, unknown and untouchable micro world of the hairy areas of our body.
The city of Istanbul has been an inspiration for this project since it combines an over populated city that produces thousands of miles of hair every day (Human scalp hair normally grows at a rate of 0.4 mm /day). Hair has been in all eras a symbol of civilization, social status, religious beliefs and a crucial part of the historical and contemporary culture for Turkey. In addition, in many Middle Eastern and eastern European cultures, pubic hair is considered unclean, and for matters of both religion and/or good hygiene. Women in those cultures have removed their pubic hair for centuries. Some examples of regions where this is typical are ancient Persia, Turkey, Albania and in many other cultures throughout the Mediterranean.
The next part of the project is to identify how hairs are affecting the human behavior. Hair is at the same time private as well as public. Through this project I will attempt to build a visual bridge between the mysterious private areas and the cynical social environment. Istanbul has always been the bridge between east and west and also a ground of evolution and the perfect example of a progressive society that lives under the shade of history.
6B, 2007, 6B pencil
Objectiveness, 2007, 6B pencil
Please Moisterize Me, 2008, Recycled plastic
Education
1998-2003 Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Greece. School of Fine Arts. BFA. Graduated with grade honors from the studio of Professor G.Golfinos, department of painting.
2000-2001 Participation in the ‘Erasmus Program “Universidad de Barcelona”,Barcelona Spain.
2004-2006 Master in Fine Arts, Athens School of Fine Arts, Greece. Graduated with grade honors.
2007-2009 Pursuing a Master in Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts, New York, USA.
2008-current PHD , University of Thessaly ,Greece School of Architecture.
Grands & Honors
2000 National Scholarship Foundation (IKY).Erasmus Program.
2004 Macedonian Museum Of Contemporary Art. Boutaris Grand.
2006 Belle Arte Lamia (honour).
2007 Fulbright Foundation, Scholarship.
2007 Alexandros. Onassis, Public Benefit Foundation Scholarship.
2008 Gerondelis Foundation Scholarship
2008 SVA Scholarship
Solo Exhibitions
2007 Batagianni gallery, Athens (curated by:N.Loizidi)
2004 Graduates Association of Fine Arts School, Athens
Group Exhibitions (Selection)
2008
Publicly Personal, West Side SVA gallery (curated by Richard Brooks)
Onasseio Foundation,Athens (curated by I.Roussos)
16 Graduates Students MFA ASFA “N.Kessanlis Exposition Hall, ASFA, Athens
2007
Open Studios, SVA New York USA
Transmission,Kardamyli (Curated by M.Lagou)
Common Place 2-Urban Legends,EpiKolono Theater,Athens (curated by M.Lagou)
2006
Tellogleio Art Foundation, Thessaloniki, (curated by X.Psoma-Th.Stefanidou)
Spacemark Project, Goethe Institute, Thessaloniki (curated by A.Potamianou)
Kodra Art Field 2006, Thessaloniki (curated by E.Chalivopoulou)
Messinian artists, Kyparissia
Opposite Choice, Kardamyli (curated by L.Tsikouta)
Common Place 2 – Τhe Return, Epi Kolono Theater,Athens (curated by M.Lagou)
Home,sweet,home, Athens (curated by M.Lagou)
Belle Arte, Lamia (honour)
Engraving Trienalle, Cairo – Egypt
2005
Art and French poetry, French Institute in Athens
Markelo’s Tower, Aigina
2004 1st Pan-Hellenic exhibition of young artists, Melina Merkouri Art Hall, Hydra Graduate’s Exhibition, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art,Thessaloniki (honor)
2003 Kodra Art Field, Thessaloniki
2002 Student’s Exhibition on Theater Scenery, Tellogleio Art Foundation,Thessaloniki 2nd Bienalle, Candia Maris Hotels, Crete
2001 Student’s Exhibition among the School of Fine Arts in Thessaloniki and Belgrade, Yugoslavia
2000 1st Bienalle, Candia Maris Hotels, Crete Art Competition, El.Venizelo’s airport, Athens
He has participated in many Residencies including the international Art Meeting, Denizli-Turkey in 2004,. the international project “Art and Movement” Limoges-France in 2001.
He worked as Assistant professor in the Athens School of Fine Arts in 2005,as art director in educational programs, Athens-Greece in 2004, art director of the international festival of puppet theater in Kilkis-Greece in 2002.
Several of his artworks belong to many public and private collections (El.Venizelos Airport, Candia Maris Hotels, Hygeia Health Center). He has published several articles,critical essays and art reviews in various editions, web sites, blogs, ,news papers and art magazines including Lifo, Athens voice,To Bhma, Kathimerini, High llights, The New York Times and Village Voice in Athens Greece , USA and abroad.