Hellenic Center in London showcasing local talent
The Hellenic Center in London is showcasing the work of two contemporary visual artists, Rena Papaspyrou from Greece and Cyprus’ Maria Loizidou, who explore the modern city and the concept of belonging, combining experience with fantasy, through the perspective of their respective generations.
Papaspyrou, a prominent figure in Greek Metapolitefsi art, presents “Images Through Matter,” her first exhibition in the British capital, running through November 16.
Her work explores the South’s relationship with public space, using her neighborhood of Pangrati in Athens as inspiration. The artist incorporates colors and elements common to southern cities, including ochre, brick red and light blue, as well as bricks, wood, aluminum, terrazzo floors and fragments of old building walls. These materials evoke a sense of a volatile, unruly and transient city.
“In London, an artist wouldn’t be able to do work like this – removing pieces of buildings is prohibited,” the director of the Hellenic Center, Nagia Giakoumaki, told Kathimerini.
This exhibition marks the second consecutive year that Giakoumaki has introduced contemporary Greek art to London’s international art scene, following last year’s showcase of Vlassis Kaniaris.
Loizidou’s “The Place I Am Not” runs through October 21 at the Hellenic Center, with a concurrent show at London’s Freud Museum until October 20.
Her work, inspired by Sigmund Freud’s life as a migrant fleeing Nazi Germany, addresses themes of identity and migration. Through her personal interest in psychoanalysis, Loizidou takes a lighter approach to migration, moving away from its negative connotations.
“How do we form ‘nests,’ meaning safe spaces in foreign lands?” Loizidou asked while guiding visitors through her work, which entails using pencil to create cocoons, inviting viewers on a journey of association.
