The European Chamber is supporting the Greek Artist Apostolos Georgiou “Situations” Premieres organised by the Consulate General of Greece.
Frank F. Yang Art and Education Foundation 2018 Exhibition Series presents “Apostolos Georgiou: Situations” on March 10, 2018 at You Space and Extra Space in Shenzhen. This exhibition marks the artist’s premiere in China, a moderate scale retrospective of his 40 years of artistic practice. Over the past four decades, Apostolos Georgiou lived in reclusion to focus on painting and drawing, his works are inspired by everyday observations from life, replete of tension, these works depict the scenarios of conflict, anxiety or absurdity. In 2017, Georgiou was invited to participate in the 14th Documenta whose works had drawn attentions worldwide, of which many was acquired by Contemporary Art Museum of Greece, Centre Pompidou and other art institutions.
Curated by the seasoned art critic, poet and curator Barry Schwabsky, this exhibition presents more than 30 works selected from 1970s to the present. The exhibition title, “Situations” does not suggest a theatrical scene consists of props and actors, but rather draws from its Latin root situs, referring to, here, this place, and the lively people and the scenes in the life around them. In other words, the term “Situations” affords much food for thoughts about: the lively people and scenarios, in spite of their disparate psyches. Here, by using this term, the curator emphasizes on the alienating scenarios that are full of tension, manifested in the “situations” that the artist has been capturing and depicting over the last 40 years. In addition, with regards to the iconographic narrative in these paintings of “situations”, the artist believes, “As for the protagonists of my work, the figures are me. But it’s not only me. It’s a way of talking about everybody because I am no different from anybody else, with my needs, with my fears… Talking about yourself you talk about the All.”
Frank F. Yang, the founder of the Frank F. Yang Art and Education Foundation states, “I am fascinated by artist Apostolos Georgiou’s works and moved by his focus and spirit for the practice of painting over the last four decades. We are delighted to collaborate with the artist, and to host this moderate retrospective exhibition. We hope viewers in China, and across Asia, would have the opportunity to have an in-depth understanding and appreciation of his works.”
Lecture about the artist’s practice and a conversation with the curator will be held at 2 p.m. at Design Society, on March 10, 2018, at Ocean Park Culture and Art Center. The exhibition continues to August 11, 2018.