Chryssa

G.Lazogas

V.Kaniaris

G.Papageorgiou

On Thursday 1 st of February, in the art space of «Astrolavos» dexameni (Xanthippou 11, Kolonaki, tel: 210- 7294342, 3, fax: 210 7293317, www.astrolavos.gr) opens, a group exhibition entitled: «Contemporary Artists of Abstraction».

This exhibition, second in row, after last years «Sculpture Today», which was presented during the same period of time in the art space of Astrolavos- dexameni, aspires in being the continuation of a series of exhibitions with a theoretical basis.

Trying to select bibliography and exhibition material for abstract works, by Greek contemporary artists, we encountered several difficulties, such as limited and fragmented information and data. The idea and the realization of a large, group exhibition with basic axis contemporary 'Abstraction' is our somewhat duty.

Duty against not only renowned artists, who have been 'serving' abstract art for a lot of years, but also towards the art-loving crowd which will have the opportunity to visit an exhibition presenting modern tendencies, within the specific idiom, and probably read works by well known artists in comparison with works by younger artists within a procedure of fruitful theoretical dialogue.

The use of the term 'Abstract' in the title, but also within the context of the exhibition, is up to a point abusive , since most of the present artworks do not fall into the category of 'abstract art', this meaning a result of which the artist composes the basic structural elements of painting - the line, the form, the color, the texture - within the space of painting. On the contrary, incorporated are works which either start from a specified optical reality or even include in their synthesis solitary and, in a fragmented way, some side yet vivid images/ motives. Although, these elements are narrative they are embodied within the whole of the work, or in section, distant from their semantic context and connected with each other in an non-narrative way, therefore they do not serve the narrative purpose if exhibited in a more conventional and maybe synthetic structure of the art work.

This exhibition, as the title suggests, is orientated to the works of some contemporary Greek Abstract painters. This is not a museum exhibition, since we have not included all contemporary artists and not an exhibition of historic character for our interest is clearly orientated in ' Today' and we didn't wish to expand this exhibition of pioneers for the Greek standards of the second half of the 20 th Century.

However, referring to nowadays 'abstract', we do not limit the spectrum to a specific generation but we start chronologically by presenting works by some of the eldest modern Greek artists who have diligently been occupied with 'Abstraction', some are: N. Dafnis, V. Kaniaris, Chryssa, a later generation, represented by: O. Zouni, K. Paniara, G. Adamako, G. Lazoga, G. Papageorgiou and a much younger generation of artists, like: A. Nasioula, A. Rousopoulos, A-M. Papadimitriou, M. Christoforatou, E. Christou.

We thought it would be interesting for the viewer to be able to observe and maybe even conversate through this multi-collective exhibition the different views of the abstract trends of our time and to realize that Abstraction is not a past, dead cause for the arts but it concerns the Present and the Future of Art within the international arts community.

Ν.Dafnis

Κ. Paniaras

Ο. Zouni

G.Adamakos

Α.Νasioula

A.Roussopoulos

Μ. Christoforatou

Α-Μ.Papadimitriou

Ε.Christou