CULTURE

Postwar Greek modernism

Works by some of the pioneer artists of modernism in Greece are presented in the exhibition «References to Modernism,» currently on display at the Kalfayan Gallery. A large painting by Alexis Akrithakis from the 1960s; an abstract painting by Yiannis Spyropoulos, which was actually presented at the Venice Biennale in the early 1960s; a trompe l’oeil work by Costas Tsoclis; some unusual early works by Alekos Fasianos and Yiannis Gaitis and a couple of beautiful flower paintings by Thanasis Tsingos are presented in the first room. Stephen Antonakos and Nikos Kessanlis are represented by a series of works thus allowing for a fuller appreciation of their work. The works by Antonakos are from his «Pillows» series, a rather unknown aspect of the artist’s work that date from 1962-63. They are a combination of paintings with materials that allude to the body, the state of sleep and the hidden desires in our unconscious. The works by Nikos Kessanlis are also interesting for shedding light on a relatively unknown side of his art. They are small paintings that date from the late 1950s when Kessanlis lived in Rome. Stylistically, they resemble a blend of Arshile Gorky and Paul Klee and a balance between the figurative and abstraction. Although one part of the exhibition is more fragmentary than the other, overall, «References to Modernism» is an interesting exhibition with varied and unusual works. It is also an exhibition that brings to mind an important period in the history of modern art in Greece. At the Kalfayan Gallery (6 Kapsali, Kolonaki, 210.721.7679) through Saturday.

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