OMNIMEDIAL IMAGES
I was born in Thessalonica, North Greece and I was brought up in Athens.
During my short Greek period I start studying Visual Arts and Theatre but I left Greece at a very young age for numerous reasons. I immigrated to The Netherlands’s where I live permanently. In the Netherlands I continued my studies, History of Art, at the University of Utrecht.
During this period I worked together with various Dutch sculptors and composers, participating in numerous joint audiovisual projects and exhibitions in Dutch, German and Italian Galleries and Museums. At the same time I worked as Art Director in several Dutch Art Film Productions.
During the 80’s my focus shifted and I worked intensely in the Dutch Theatre exploring and combining on stage all facets of the Arts resulting into a rich Audio-Visual Alive Art form. A succession of 35 projects came to live. A repertory inspired by the Classic Greek, Elizabethan, and contemporary Mythology, Literature and Music. Exploring the Symbiosis and the conflict of the Classic and Up to Date Cultural and Technological Elements.
During the 90’s I was invited to teach about these forms. I worked as head teacher at the Academy of Arts of Utrecht leading the - especially designed for this purpose – faculty Theatron Design. In addition I worked in the Dutch Television in Cultural TV Productions mostly as Art Director.
During 1998, determined to express all my experiences into a more approachable form, I started creating images. In the beginning I used traditional methods: oil - color combined with egg - tempera on prepared wooden panels according to Byzantine and Renaissance techniques. Then, after getting acquainted with the possibilities of the Computer I discovered a - new to me - vehicle for my expression needs. Combining traditional techniques together with various image and video processing computer programs I create till this very moment, images and audiovisual forms:
OMNIMEDIAL IMAGES.
My inspiration sources and aims remain always the same. I do see myself not so much as a traditional painter but more as a storyteller. Although I am –continuously - improving my techniques, I use them only as a writing medium.
Same way as a music composer I try to achieve a more universal language. With an alphabet of cultural memories, quotations of the Past, Signs of our Everyday Reality I try to build up mirrors in which someone could face The Human Condition. Reflections that might revive or invigorate - shared to be - knowledge and values of our society. For the viewer who does not desire this, it must always be an aesthetically satisfactory image.
My oil color IMAGES were very successful and easily sold. It took however about seven to eight months to finish only one while I was inspired to make a new one every day. Not being able to express this was most frustrating. In addition the production time made the end result very expensive, depending on commissions from an elite who could afford it. Also a great exhibition was – obviously - impractical and unnecessary. But most of all: The Idea of making exclusive art forms for the few contradicts my ideas about the very existence and purpose of art and my personal aims and ideals.
I call my Images omni medial not only because I make them using any thinkable discipline, from oil-colors and photography to sculpture and multimedia. But also because through them I try to speak to as many different people as possible. Here and now is the first time that I decided to show my OMNIMEDIAL WORK
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