‘IN MEDIA RES’ (i.e. in the midst of things), is the title of Christos Pallantzas’s new solo exhibition at Evripides gallery, which opens on March 30 and runs till May 20. Inspired by the words of Marcel Proust, who stated that “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes”, Pallantzas returns to Evripides gallery with a new series of mystical and apocalyptic cityscapes and landscapes. Together with his two previous solo shows at the gallery (in 2016 and 2019), Pallantzas has now completed a personal artistic journey which deals with complex esoteric themes. There is an autobiographical element running through many of the paintings, whereby the artist has chosen to depict cityscapes and landscapes of particular importance to him: such as the location of his studio in Metaxourgeio, or regions of Euboea, where he had searched for mediaeval monuments.
True to his cause, to constantly develop his art, Pallantzas takes the representational painting process to another level, not limiting himself to faithfully copying his subject-matter, but instead acting as the ‘stage director’ of his paintings, he organizes his theme with a poetic and philosophical sensibility, often capturing the dramatic and heroic facets of human nature in the process. And yet, in these works humans aren’t depicted. Nevertheless, their stories are still told through the cityscapes/landscapes that are evocatively portrayed. These works can indeed be viewed as meditations on human existence.
Pallantzas studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA), with teachers D. Mytaras, D. Kokkinidis, N. Kessanlis. He continued his studies at the Beaux-Art in Paris. Apart from developing his own painting practice, Pallantzas has also worked artistically in many other fields: from educational programmes with the culture ministry, to helping in the restoration of ancient frescoes in Santorini and teaching at the AKTO school of art and design. In 2011 Pallantzas had also undertaken a project at the Child Psychology department of the Children’s Hospital ‘Aghia Sophia’, where he worked as an art therapist in a research programme funded by the Niarchos Foundation. With a long list of both solo and group exhibitions in Greece and abroad, Pallantzas’s work was also included in an artists’ group that represented contemporary Greek art for the Olympic Games of 2004.
‘In medias res’ runs March 30-April 29 at Evripides Gallery. Opening on Thursday March 30, 6-10pm.
Evripides Art Gallery is on the corner of 10 Heraklitou & Skoufa sts, Kolonaki, Athens, 106 73
- For more on Pallantzas, where he discusses about the crisis and how it affected his art in 2016, click here
- ‘Art Scene Athens’ is written/run by artist/journalist Stella Sevastopoulos. For more about her art, click here
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