greek

A FEW WORDS ABOUT MY WORK

On the occasion of my first exhibition in 1970 [video EOA] I wrote, “It is very difficult for a sculptor to talk about his work because he runs the risk of chattering. If the sculpture does not speak for itself, words cannot make up for it”. Nevertheless, I should like to say a few words about the course of development the features of my sculptures have taken. First of all, I would like to honour my elementary teacher, Panos Valsamakis. To him I owe my early start because with modern ideas and sensitivity he animated us, his twelve year old pupils, to express ourselves. I belonged to the group of children who had chosen clay to work on. Left with the microbe, I continued modelling.
In 1956, although I had not yet finish­ed high school, I was accepted at Athens Superior School of Fine Arts, in the workshop of Michalis Tombros. I finish­ed my last year of high school taking night classes. Ending my studies in 1960, I was granted a scholarship in order to widen knowledge and skill at the Ecole Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. During this time I frequently visited museums and galleries, studying all the different kinds and trends of art.
The work I started to do in Paris at that time was based on archetypal memories and myths that had influenced me strongly.My one-figure sculptures Tiresias I and Pasiphae were followed by the more abstract two-figure compositions Erotic and Palmos (Pulse). Nikos Zias said of these two-figure sculptures, “On the same piece of wood, on the same root – one might say – two figures mingle in a tight amorous embrace. The descriptive element has almost disappeared. Only the general conception of the amorous embrace remains transfigured into love-making between masses. The formerly adopted forms survive, but here the sculptural value of counter-point of masses and of the dialectic movement between them, definitely prevails; such values force you to look at the work from every angle, to follow its motion…”.
In 1963 I returned to Greece in order to complete my military service obligation. The only bright spot during this unpleasant time were the mural paintings I did on the inside walls of St. George’s church at Kozani’ s barrack yard. The order had been given to me by the then military priest Chrysostomos. Unfortunately, one of the subsequent priests, probably during the dic­tatorship, destroyed the paintings.
The decade of 1960 ended with ag­gressive and at the same time supple forms, the one-figure sculptures. Their main characteristic is vertical structure. A series of symbols is built one on top of the other. One could call it a totem pole ending in a bust that reminds us of Sibyl, Pasiphaeand Orpheus. I was rather preoccupied with two things: the variety of textures (finishing of a surface), and the balance of masses.
Clay, plaster, wood, aluminium, con­crete and iron were the materials I was us­ing then.
At this point I also want to mention that towards the end of the sixties and in the beginning of the seventies, I closely col­laborated with architect friends. Architects build for people, and I believe that art can and should be placed in any location where people are present.
I was lucky to cooperate with compe­tent, talented architects. They gave me the opportunity to integrate my reliefs on ex­terior as well as interior concrete walls (from 20 up to 160 sqm) in hotels, cinemas, houses, banks, offices and hospitals.
I placed my reliefs right on the wood -planking, and when concrete was poured and the planking taken off, the relief ap­peared automatically on the wall.
The decade of 1970 is marked by the development of the former years, but is characterized by the themes of the sun and the moon with a series of compositions.
Based on forms and elements of my preceeding work, I enriched my textures with new features, evolved parts of the human body like memories of ancient, broken sculptures. I framed these with ag­gressive, austere and pointed shapes.
The composition of contrasts creates evolution: smooth and rough, light and darkness, male and female. The sculptures of this period emanate a strong erotic sense. Simultaneously the balance of masses found in my earlier works now changes. Quite often, the whole composition is balanced on a sphere, giving the impression of an “unstable balance”. Materials I used at that time were mainly concrete, bronze and polyester.
Finally there was the decade of 1980, which led me to even more specific forms.
Retaining my earlier adopted features, I delightfully let myself be seduced and led by them.
I tried to be precise and to enjoy what I was doing. Each time it was a surprise, like our first virgin dreams. Here the human body prevails, giving the impression of be­ing bound to the material it is made of.
I wanted my sculptures to lead one’ s imagination to poetic ecstasy. Thereore, I formed the human bodies with vivid preci­sion and clarity. At the same time I either surrounded or covered them with mystery: free, undefined forms, blocks, rocks, cloths together with enigmatic images. I inten­tionally formed the human body with idealistic perfection, juxtaposing it with raw, unfinished elements. The painter Takis Parlavantzas, has named these sculptures “poetic realism”.
The drapery I used in my compositions distinguished the nude body, whereas the unshaped, unworked parts surprised the spectator. Next to a white, illuminated surface we find a black, shadowy one. Of course, a grey, light reflecting surface always coex­ists. This game never ends. It happens each time the source of light changes position or the spectator moves on.
The inner rhythm that emanates this specific atmosphere in my work was of ma­jor concern to me.
I intentionally left out elements which are meant to be compensated by the spec­tator, each one corresponding to his per­sonal perception. This is a way of com­municating.
My sculptures were made of metal (bronze), marble and polyester. I normal­ly used polyester for the model, because it enabled me to give the surfaces a perfect finish. Only then was the elaboration of the sculpture in metal or marble possible. When founded in metal, I polished the smooth parts in order to make them reflect light. As contrast, I left the rough parts to ox­idize as much as possible. Working marble, all smooth areas, such as the human body and robes, were finished with great care, whereas the rough sections, purposely unworked, were meant to remind one of the technique called “non finito”.
Without realizing it, my “few words” have become many. You see, an artist always tries to seize a dream. In fact, how can the mechanism of a dream ever be ex­plained…

  ΕΡΓΑ ( επιλογή )

1960 - 1969   

    EROTIC I, 1962
    pine - wood, 1962, 70 Χ 30 Χ 20 cm.

    PASIFAE, 1962
    pine - wood, 130 Χ 30 Χ 20 cm.

    PALMOS Ι, 1964
    concrete, 220 Χ 70 Χ 45 cm.

    DEFENCE, 1962
    pine - wood, 95 X 35 X 20 cm.

    ORPHEUS II, 1968
    iron, 220 Χ 50 Χ 34 cm.

    SAPPHO II, 1968
    concrete, 140 Χ 20 Χ 30 cm.

1970 - 1979   

    THE MOON AS THEME, 1971, bronze, 120 Χ 160 cm.

    THE SUN AS THEME II, 1971, bronze 85 Χ 160 cm.

    EMERGING VENUS ΙΙ, 1975,
    bronze , 145 Χ 72 Χ 40 cm.

    PALMOS ΙΙ, 1974
    PLMS, 280 X 85 X 80 cm.

    MAIDEN OF THE STONE ΙΙ, 1989
    bronze 200 Χ 40 Χ 40 εκ.

1980 - 1989    

    BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, 1988
    bronze, 90 Χ 73 Χ 72 cm.

    WITHOUT TITLE, 1989
    bronze 79 Χ 30 cm.

    CAUSE, 1989
    bronze 58 Χ 29 3 cm.

    JUST AFTER..., 1983, bronze 113 Χ 97 cm.

1990 - 1999    

    THE STONE SAVED IF...,1996
    bronze 133 Χ 39 Χ 36,

    MAIDEN OF THE SEA ΙΙ, 1990
    PLMS 210 Χ 42 Χ 42 cm.

    GREAT ALEXANDER ΙΙ, 1997
    bronze 111 Χ 76 Χ 47 cm.

    Ο ΘΡΥΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΑΟΡΑΤΗΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΙΑΣ, 1994
    ορείχαλκος, 143 Χ 85 Χ 55 εκ.

ΣΠΟΝΔΥΛΟΤΟ,1992, ορείχαλκος, 95 Χ 18 Χ 18 εκ.

2000 - 2009    

BIO

1939 - Born in Athens.

1952 - Exhibits for the 1st time his clay-works dur­ing the last year of elementary school.

1956/60 - Studies sculpture at Athens Superior School of Fine Arts.

1957/58 - Participates in exhibition with copies of popular and post-Byzantine art of Iesbos and Pelion.

1959 - A wrought iron work of his is placed al the en­trance of an apartment house in Alhens.

1960/62 - Post-graduate studies at the Ecole Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, with scholarship granted by Athens' University • Participates in the ex­hibition "Peintres et Sculpteurs de Paris", Museum of Modern Art, Paris • In the 13eme Salon des Independents, Paris • In the 14eme Salon de la Jeune Sculpture, Museum Rodin, Paris • Participates in the 2nd Panhelladic Ex­hibition of Young Artists in Alhens and wins 1st prize for sculpture.

1963 - Participates in the 7th Panhellenic Exhibition in Athens.

1965 - Participates in the exhibition "Object" in Athens • Purchase of a work of his by the Ministry of Education.

1966 - 1st prize in the competition for the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Piraeus • Partici­pates in the 1st open-air exhibition ol sculpture at Filothei • Elaborates 10 m2 relief of con­crete in a pharmacy in Sparta.

1968 - Participates at the 20eme Salon de la Jeune Sculpture, Paris • Elaborates reliefs of concre­te (30 m2) for the maternity hospital "Leto" in Alhens • Elaborates a relief of concrete (60m2) for the cinema "Alkyonis".

1969 - Participates in the lOeme Biennale in Sao Paulo, Brazil • Participates in the 5th International Exhibition on Sculpture in Milan • Elaborates a relief of concrete (8 m2) for the cinema "Oscar" • Elaborates a relief of 15 m² on con­crete in a house in Vouliagmeni • Relief (27 m2) of concrete at the entrance of an apartment house in Athens • Elaborates 20 m² relief of concrete on the front wall of an apartment house in Varkiza.

1970 - Individual exhibition "One-figure and Two- figure Sculptures" at Gallery PR, Alhens • Participates in the 6th International open-air exhibition of Sculpture in Milan • Participates in the exhibition "Modern Greek Art" in Cyprus • Participates in the 1st exhibition of "New Sculptors - Painters - Engravers", Athens • Wins 1st prize for sculpture of Ministry of Prime Minister's Department • A work of his is plac­ed at Ground Satellite Station of Greek Telephone Co • Elaborates 15 m^; relief of concrete on an inside wall of a house in Athens.

1971 - Individual exhibition "Sun and Moon" New Gallery, Athens • Participates in the 1st Bien­nale of small sculpture in Budapest • Participates in the exhibition "Freedom" Gallery Nees Morphes, Athens • Participates in the 11th Panhellenic Exhibition • A bronze work is placed in shop in Athens • Elaborates a 160 m^: relief of concrete on the front wall of "Shell" administration, Athens • 15 m2 relief of concrete for a house at Kifisia • Purchase of a work of his by the Ministry of Culture and Sciences.

1972 - Individual exhibition at Montana Vermala, Switzerland • 1st prize in the competition for a Monument for the Fallen, Meligala • Ela­borates 35 m² relief on concrete at the Hellenic Canadian Trust, Montreal/Canada • Aluminum works are placed in the branch offices of the Agricultural Bank of Greece in Kavala, Aegio and the Fair of Thessaloniki.

1973 - Individual exhibition "Forms - Symbols - Senses" Gallery Tholos, Athens • Participates in the 12th Panhellenic Exhibition • Purchase of a work of his by the Ministry of Culture and Sciences for the National Gallery • Purchase of a work of his by the Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece • 35 m2 relief of concrete in a house in Ekali.

1974 - 1st prize for sculpture of the Municipality of Thessaloniki • 3rd prize of sculpture in the competition for the monument of SELETE School • Distinction of UNESCO ( a work of his is included in the collection "Art as Environment" ).

1975 - Individual exhibition "Variations", Gallery Nees Morphes, Athens • Participates in the 5th Biennale, Barcelona • Participates in the 12th Exhibition of Sculpture, in Milan • Participa­tes in the "Week of Art", in Athens.

1976 - Individual exhibition in the Gallery Aithousa Technis, Thessaloniki.

1977 - Individual exhibition in Athens College • Ela­borates 36 m2 relief on concrete wall in the in­terior of National Bank of Greece, Amaliada • Concrete relief (27 m2) on facade of apart­ment building in Amaliada • Relief of PLMS on facade of apartment house in P. Phaliro.

1978 - 2nd prize in competition for a monument to the "Ierolochites" in Athens.

1981 - Establishes "Aroura", house and workshop at Kapandriti, 30 km north of Athens • 1st prize in competition for a statue of G. Papandreou.

1982 - Erection of the statue of G. Papandreou (bronze, height 2,40 m) at Kalentzi near Patras.

1983/84/85 - Organizes at "Aroura" exhibitions of painters, sculptors and engravers together with perfor­mances of music, poetry and theater. 1985/86 - Elaborates and places the Monument of Tobac­co - Workers (height 3,50m) in Kavala • Parti­cipates in exhibition "Athens Cultural Capital of Europe 1985" • 10 m² relief at the entrance of a home in Peania.

1987/89 - Participation in the Panhellenic Exhibition Pireaus • Elaborates 8 m² relief of concrete on the front of an apartment house in Amaliada • 14m² relief of concrete on the outside wall of a house in Kapandrili, Attika.

CRITICS

ARMAKOLAS' PLASTIC ART

Chryssanthos Christou

Professor in History of Art

Dimitris Armakolas, well known for his work, rich in quantity and quality, continues with his efforts, enlarges the field of his searches and completes his conquests. With a number of personal exhibitions in Greece as well as abroad and even more participations in group ex­hibitions, Armakolas constitutes a strong and prolific presence on the modern art scene. His work, to be found in public areas and in private collections, includes monuments and sculptures integrated into architecture, as well as small sculptures and reliefs. His art leaves no doubt whatsoever as to his skill. Diligent and following his own path, Armakolas proceeds steadily, continuously searching in order to achieve his own idiom. Retracing his evolutive course, one clearly views his creative passage from relief to full sculpture, and finally to his multifaceted work which induces the spectator to move around the sculpture.
Armakolas was born in Athens in 1939. He initially exhibited his first sculptures in 1952 when still a pupil. A few years later, he had the opportunity to integrate his inclination for sculpture into his studies at the Superior School in Fine Arts in Athens. These studies started in 1956 and ended in 1960. During this period he also engaged in post Byzantine and popular Greek art. In 1959 he worked on a sculpture of forged iron to be placed in the entrance of an apartment building in Athens. Armakolas continued to widen his studies in Athens with postgraduate courses in Paris at the Ecole Superieure des Beaux-Arts from 1960 to 1962, with a scholarship granted by Athens University. In 1962 he participated in a panhellenic exhibi­tion ("Panelladiki") and won first prize for sculpture. This was the first of a number of distinc­tions he earned throughout the following years. In Paris, Armakolas came in contact not only with modern art and its experimental tendencies, but also with masterpieces of the past during his various informative trips throughout Western Europe. At this time he wondered, "What is left for us to do?" Out of this uncertainty he felt the nessecity to dig deeper and deeper within himself.
His studies in Paris and his restless searches in art put him into deep reflection. During 1961 and 1962 he carved wooden sculptures. These showed the close relationship of the artist with tradition as well as the human body, and his searches in modern art. In some of his works, for example Erotic land Erotic IIof 1962, and Pasiphae of the same year, Armakolas com­bined anthropomorphic characteristics with his geometric vocabulary, and dynamic static surface levels. From a compositional point of view, sweeping, dynamic forms penetrate passive ones, merging into a unified construct. These wooden sculptures, as well as Defence I and II, 1962, have the human body as a basis, although they are not bound by their outer, represen­tational forms. They retain some bodily characteristics yet simultaneously transfer them into a series of purely geometrical motifs. These new expressive dimensions, due to their complexi­ty, with varied rough and smooth surfaces, constitute concrete, abstract prototypes. From his initial efforts, Armakolas clearly indicates his preference to use the human body as the basic subject, integrating his very personal combination of free geometrical and abstract forms. From this early stage on, a particular tendency is distinguished: the sculptor prefers to give less em­phasis to solid forms, accentuating multilevelled surfaces.
With his sculptures of subsequent years, such as Palmos I (Pulse), made of concrete in 1964 and Palmos II, made of iron in 1965, Armakolas moves in the same direction, utilizing more constructive elements and geometric forms. Here the human body again becomes ap­parent as a thematic starting point. The geometric vocabulary and abstract elements, however, predominate. Emphasis on vertical and diagonal lines, rough and smooth textures, dynamic and static surface levels are the compositional characteristics of these two works.
Yet, since 1966, we notice a turn towards relief, which allows the artist to integrate his sculpture into architecture. Reliefs in concrete bearing the characteristics of the plastic art of Armakolas include: Phaethon, 1966, Minoan, 1969, as well as the reliefs created for "Leto" Maternity Hospital, 1969, and for the Cinema "Alkyonis", 1969. Also there is a relief on the inner wall of a house in Vouliagmeni. Now, Armakolas works more as a modeller than as sculptor, using the same plastic vocabulary. This is enriched, though, by a series of new characteristics. He retains the human body in the relief. However, he confronts the human form with new aspects which impose new expressive values, often containing symbolic images. Viewing the Minoan, one senses an attempt, based on coexisting motifs such as melodious, sinuous curves in combination with abstract forms.
Other works, for instance the relief in the Cinema "Alkyonis", impress us with his in­tegration of anthropomorphic and geometric forms. In order to capture the personality of a location for one of his works, Armakolas creates a unity, imposing dialogue between the strictly geometric subjects and his anthropomorphic elements. This is in contrast to the expressive con­tents with their fragmentary bodies, evoking a myriad of interpretations. To the same period belong a number of other sculptures where Armakolas again utilizes the human body. Ex­amples include: Sappho, bronze 1966, Orpheus I, iron 1966, Orpheus II, iron 1968, Coatlicue I, bronze 1968, and Coatlicue II, concrete 1969. From the very beginning, Armakolas was immersed in the human form, not perceived only by its contours but rather by its inner characteristics. Also, we typically find an uprising posture, various multilevel planes and con­trasting textures. The suggestive, surrounding elements that Armakolas creates juxtapose cer­tain forms, which embody the essence of his work. The plastic vocabulary he uses is distinguished by his synthesis of coarse and smooth surfaces.
With Orpheus II and Coatlicue II, a sphere appears as a motif. His use of a sphere in­troduces into his work an important image that creates motion as well as multiple symbolic interpretation. The sphere is set off very clearly after 1970, when even the titles of the sculptures mention it. Works include: The moon as theme, bronze 1970, and The sun as theme, bronze 1971. Armakolas retains parts of the human body as well as his characteristic motifs. To these he now adds his spherical elements, either clearly defined, or ambiguously delineated. These plastic elements are now used in order to impart movement to his work. His fragmentary human body, combined with abstract forms, imaginary shapes and geometric motifs give new expres­sion and character to his work. In certain small sculptures, for example The moon as theme, we find a form on the left side. The torso in placed in the center of the work. On the right side is a shaded, supplicatory figure, rendered only with a ritual robe. This creates an exquisite synthesis of mobile and static images, concrete and abstract forms, as well as geometric and expressionistic elements. There is another work named The sun and the moon as theme, founded in bronze in 1971. It is placed in a shop in Athens. Here, the two circular forms, representing the sun and the moon, are shown in an even more convincing manner, with two fragmentary human bodies, imaginary and abstract forms. The result is a sculpture distinguished by its wealth and fusion of elements.
In subsequent years, Armakolas evolves his plastic vocabulary. In a series of works from 1972 to 1974, he retains his spherical motif, emphasizing movement. Idealized figures, geometric elements and symbolic content now play an important role. The human body appears to rise upwards, giving his work dramatic expression. These new elements are found in works like Palmos of 1974, Venere, bronze 1974 and Anadyomene //(emerging Venus), also of bronze, 1975. Here the human body, always fragmentary, has an idealistic expression, accentuated by robes with their drapery. This gives the impression of the human form struggling to free itself from the geometric as well as other enigmatical elements. Beyond his representational elements, the artist attains a unity based on the fusion of vertically and diagonally arranged motifs. Rich in expression, these impose an active voice in their plasticity.
Similar characteristics can also be found in the sculptures of Armakolas' next period. In some of these, a stronger emphasis is given to the fragmentary nude female figure, introducing the sensual characteristics of his work. After 1980, Armakolas continues to widen his plastic vocabulary. At this point we see a shift in focus. His sculptures now attain a multifaceted character. He achieves this by the way he composes his elements, synthesizing his anthropo­morphic with geometric, and representational with abstract forms. Earlier works, although fully sculptural, do not have this particular character. Protruding, roughly carved blocks, sur­face levels infiltrating into one another, and the interaction of forms compel the spectator to move around the sculptures of this period. Some of his most characteristic works made during 1980-1990 bear these new elements of Armakolas' plastic art and illustrate the maturity and rich expression of his achievements. Thus with Angelical and black light, made of marble, much more emphasis is given to plasticity, which enriches the whole work with new expres­sion. With the juxtaposition of smooth, flowing contours, austere surfaces and aggressively protruding blocks, the work achieves a persuasive voice.
His evolution towards the synthesis of naturalistic, abstract and geometric forms is clear­ly outlined in the work which follows. The sculpture When night wore the day, 1988, is characterized by an energetic twist of the body. Geometric and realistic components are con­trasted with carefully polished surfaces and rough, almost unworked ones. Here, as much as from works like Ecstasy and Karyatis, made of bronze in 1988, the spectator receives the im­pression of a human body struggling to free itself from the material, that it was constructed from. The variety of smooth and rough surfaces, natural and abstract features, static and mobile traits constitute this example of plasticity.
The study of some of the most characteristic works of Armakolas leaves no doubt about continuity and consequence in his development. An artist distinguished for his prolific pro­ductivity, Armakolas does not limit himself to the established schools and traditional forms. During his individual searches, he creates his own plastic language, distinguished for its inner richness and expressive contents. The synthesis of natural and abstract elements, of organic and geometric characters, integrated with smooth surfaces, impart to his sculptures expres­sion and inner strength. We trace his development from emphasis on textures to relief sur­faces, and then to fully sculptural work. In conclusion, his endeavors culminate in a much richer and clearer plastic voice, and in doing so, the artist fully realizes his artistic potential.

May 1990

PUBLICATIONS ( in Greek )

Σμολένση 23, Αθήνα 11473
τηλ. 210 38 44 275
fax 210 38 44 068
e-mail : d.armakolas (at) yahoo.gr