Documentary shows life and work of painter Yiannis Moralis
Generations of distinguished artists have trained in his studio. Now there is an 80-minute documentary covering 70 years in the life of Yiannis Moralis, a professor at the School of Fine Arts in Athens. The documentary starts in the years before the war and ends with the artist beginning to work on his most recent exhibition in January 2004. The film is directed by Stelios Haralambopoulos and produced by Thanos Lambropoulos, with music by Nikos Kypourgos. In the film Moralis, a man of few words and generally unavailable to the press, recalls and explains, drawing the viewer into his world. Along with Nikos Nikolaou and Christos Kapralos – who studied with him in Paris – he is a representative of the famous «Thirties Generation,» always a Greek patriot, serving in battles for freedom and democracy, a faithful friend and a gentle person. The Greek state media ERT will be showing the documentary on May 6, the artist’s 90th birthday, after a screening at the 8th Documentary Film Festival in Thessaloniki on March 10-19. Three more events are scheduled for April and May at the School of Fine Arts, the Benaki Museum and the Ianos bookstore. The DVD, by Patakis Publications, is on sale at book shops – a rare opportunity to hear Yiannis Moralis speak in person about his experiences and life, about art, his friends and associates, his early attempts to paint with his aunt Virginia at her home in Arta. As Moralis is known beyond his own borders, it might be an idea to subtitle the DVD in English for his admirers abroad. Production: Periplous-ERT-Greek Cinema Center-CL Productions, sponsored by the National Bank of Greece-Marianna Latsi-I.F. Costopoulos Foundation.
