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solo exhibition
"Portraits & Groups"
Centre of Contemporary Art
Museum of Modern Greek Art
Rhodes 3-16 May 2003

text also available in Greek

Introduction

The text that follows
is written by the art historian
Polly Hatzimarkou, as an introduction
to the exhibition catalogue

t his "Portraits and Groups", Angelos Spartalis focuses on an idiosyncratic expressionism. Untamed, with vibrant colors, violent brushstrokes and scratching, unending experimentations of the "being" and the "being seen", that expressionism infuses excessive sharpness into his images and his studio. When Spartalis paints, he makes noise; he makes a mess of things and of himself. He is what he paints. He causes an art attack; an attack to the saturated aesthetics of our times, via the classical paths of oil and canvas. However, he does not bring an end at that point. The artist modifies the same idea into "mechanical prototypes" and digital prints, impulsive mixtures of painting and technological intervention. He selects lineaments from his models and adds all his passion and philosophy for life. "So the artist can open or rather, unlock the valves of sensation to bring the viewer back to life more fiercely" (D.Sylvester for F.Bacon).

From the isolated human figure that faces his/her icon in an empty room till the explosive crowded group which seems to protest, Spartalis offers a rather interesting expressionistic and challenging look that penetrates human nature".


Polly Hatzimarkou
Art historian
curator, Museum of Modern Greek Art

3. orange goup 2002
___100 x 70 cm, oil on canvas

5. yellow group ΙΙ 2002
___90 x 60 cm, oil on canvas

10. blue group 2002
___   90 x 60 cm, oil on canvas

12. black and white group
___   2002, 120 x 90 cm
___   digital print on canvas

14. group Ι 2002
___  45 x 45 cm, oil on canvas

15. black group 2002
___   35 x 30 cm, oil on wood

17.

18. blue I 2002
___ 90 x 120 cm, oil on canvas

19. portrait of Polly H.
___ 2002, 90 x 120 cm, oil on canvas

20.

21. light blue dress 2002
___ 90 x 120 cm, oil on canvas

22. the arrow 2002
___ 90 x 120 cm, oil on canvas

23.

24. white dress II 2002
___ 90 x 120 cm, oil on canvas

25. portrait 2002
___ 90 x 120 cm, oil on canvas

Suzana Koncut, Slovenian choreographer and dancer, got inspired and planned a performance of contemporary dance, maintaining an open dialogue with Spartalis's paintings. The show was given on Saturday, May 3d (that is, the opening night of the exhibition) and was repeated on Saturday May 10th, at 20.30. It was the first time that we had the opportunity to take pleasure in Koncut's work, here in Rhodes; however, in the past she has performed her choreographies in many countries abroad. Moreover, she has worked with a variety of artists and art groups from a wide number of creative fields (theatre, puppet-theatre, fine arts, video art, music), generating remarkable artistic products. Her cooperation with Spartalis was an analogous amalgamation of the arts; an innovative and a rather fine one. By dancing in front of an artwork, Koncut gives skillfully life to the painting figures, at an absolutely disciplined performance.

above left: with the Prefect of Dodecanese Mr. Y. Macheridis
bottom left: with the President of the Museum of Modern Greek Art, Ms. M. Boni
right: students during educational visit

scenes from Suzana Koncut's dance performance
(Saturday 3 & 10 May 2003)

with Polly Hatzimarkou, art Historian, organizer of MoTeR2
art project, in front of "red group"

newspaper TO VIMA, 20/04/03......

Video...

• Opening of the exhibition
  duration: 1 min 5 sec
  mpg file size: 2  MB

• Dance performance by Suzana Koncut
  duration: 2 min 10 sec
  mpg file size: 3 MB

more information on...

• Ηome page of MoTeR 2  :  online  /  cache

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