Professor of History of Art and ex-director of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, The Hague, Dr. Chris Rehorst explains “in his latest work Kotsiréas re-interprets a familiar theme in the history of art, that of the still life . . . in contrast with the history of the still life, in Kotsiréas work the source is not destroyed, but is left intact and allowed to co-exist with the inspired painting”. Celebrated artist Sir Peter Blake adds “this is a novel and fascinating addition to the genre of still life, especially when painting and sculpture are combined. This is a unique and clever idea”. Lawyer, Art Collector and Art Critic Mr Athanasios Varlamis, says “his aim (and in this he succeeds) both for himself as an artist and for the observer of his work, is that these works are not experienced as a spectacle or through objective appreciation, but as an inner experience at the subconscious level of artistic creation. The thoughts, feelings and aesthetic concerns of the artist are not simply observed, but become a direct participatory experience. This then is the poetic intention of the artist”. Art Historian and Curator Mrs Eleni Markopoulioti explains, “the viewer is presented with the model and the painterly outcome, highlighting the dynamic relationship these two creative parts share. The artist reveals his source of inspiration to the viewer, allowing him or her to emotionally respond both to the creative process as well to the final piece. The viewer is invited to enter into a dialogue in which he or she has the opportunity to sense and react to the artist, who in effect becomes part of the viewer’s reality. The artist further opens himself to the viewer, by sharing his memories and secrets that are imbedded in the inanimate objects – reinforcing the nostalgic dimension of this work. This is in stark contrast to the myth of the introvert-genius artist and the air of mysticism which dominates our perception of the creators of art. Kotsiréas re-examines the relationship between the artist and the audience, by illuminating creativity itself and by promoting a reciprocal relationship between the artist and the audience”.
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Seeds of Mother Earth (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, seed shells) 63x71x14cm Painting - Oil on linen, 150x150cm
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Seeds of the Earth (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, seed shells) 80x89x13cm Painting - Oil on linen, 100x150cm
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Sea Works - Sea Creatures (diptych) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, sea creatures) 57x57x9cm Painting - Oil on linen, 150x150cm
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Sea Works - Wood Transformation (diptych) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, driftwood) 57x57x10cm Painting - Oil on linen, 150x150cm
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Sea Works - Pebbles and Colours (diptych) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, pebbles) 57x57x10cm Painting - Oil on linen, 150x150cm
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Sea Works - Pebbles (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, pebbles) 55x60x10cm Painting - Oil on linen, 100x100cm
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Sea Works - Sea on a Brush (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, oyster, pebbles, paint brush), 49x54x8cm Painting - Oil on linen, 100x100cm
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Nature’s Hearts
(17 pieces) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, pebbles, etchings, hot glue modelled), 79x86x12cm Paintings - Oil on canvas, 16x (30x30cm)
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“Creativity
is part of our humanity – I want people to see what inspired me to create – that’s why I bring the still life arrangements out of the studio into the gallery. I want to demystify aspects of the creative process”.
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Anatomy of the Heart (5 pieces)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, metal, wires), 80X89x16cm Paintings - Oil on canvas, 50x80cm (left) 70x50cm (top) , 60x50cm (bottom) 50x30cm (right)
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First Aid Kit (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, medical elements, glass, metal) 80x89x16cm Painting – Oil on canvas, 70x70cm
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Technology State of Mind (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, electronic elements, skull), 72x78x18cm Painting - Oil on linen, 72X78cm
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Technology State of Mind II (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, electronic elements, skull), 43x45x15cm Painting - Oil on canvas, 51x51cm
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Skin Deep - The Journalist, the Gold Digger, the Poet, the Artist Construction - Mixed Media, (wood, skulls, news articles, gold leaf, dry colours, poetry) 48x63x20cm Paintings - Oil on canvas, 4x(50x50cm)
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(5 pieces)
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Which One? (diptych)
Construction - Mixed Media, (wood, keys, hot glue modelled, metal), 47x48x10cm Painting - Oil on canvas, 122x51cm
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Whitch One II ?
(diptych) Construction - Mixed Media, (wood, keys, metal) 104x50x10cm Paintings - Oil on canvas, 33x33cm
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Oil Can and Chains
(diptych) Construction - Mixed Media, (wood, metal, news articles), 49x31x12cm Painting - Oil on canvas, 51x31cm
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Justice of Colours
(4 pieces) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, metal, dried paint), 60x70x7cm Paintings - Oil on linen , 36x26cm (left) 120x70cm (middle) 200x80cm (right)
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We are on a Roll (diptych)
Construction - Mixed Media,(wood, newspaper articles, gold leaf, banknotes, led), 82x104x15cm Painting - Gold paint and gold leaf on canvas, 152,5x122cm
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“When I take an inanimate object out of the natural world and place it in still life arrangement, I am purposefully isolating it, stripping it down to its basic material attributes: its form, colour and mass. This enables me to explore the essence and mystery of the object. Giving expression to lifeless matter on canvas is for me a poetic act�.
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Poetry in a Bottle - Black (diptych)
Construction - Mixed Media, (wood, glass, shredded paper), 39x37x12cm Paintings - Oil on canvas, 39x39cm (left), 39x39cm (right)
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Poetry in a Bottle - White
(diptych) Construction - Mixed Media, (wood, glass, shredded paper), 38x37x12cm Painting - Oil on canvas, 42x42cm
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Poetry in a Bottle - I AM (diptych)
Construction - Mixed Media, (wood, glass, poetry on paper, colour pigments), 100x52x11cm Painting - Oil on canvas, 102x51cm
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Poetry in a Bottle - 9 Poems (diptych)
Construction - Mixed Media, (wood, glass, shredded poetry on paper), 104x52x11cm Painting - Oil on canvas, 107x51cm
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Spices of Life (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, bottles containing various materials), 68x72x14cm Painting - Oil on linen, 75x80cm
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7 Days Seven Messages
(diptych) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, glass, ink sketches on papyrus), 49x125x12cm Painting - Oil on linen, 51x122cm
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Messages Never Sent
(diptych) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, glass bottles, metal, ink drawings), 47x22x22cm Painting - Oil on linen, 47x47cm
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Papyrus
(diptych) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, glass, papyrus drawings), 42x21x10,5cm Painting - Oil on linen, 42x42cm
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One Circle of Creation (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, books, ink sketches, etching, various objects), 75x96x10cm Painting - Oil on canvas, 75x140cm
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Prisms
(diptych) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, glass, ink sketches), 71x64x8cm Painting - Oil on linen, 200x153cm
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Toys and Memories I (triptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, wind up metal trains, toys), 46x45x22cm Paintings - Oil on canvas, 46x46cm (top), 56x46cm (bottom)
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Toys and Memories II (triptych) Construction - Mixed media, (wood, toys), 33x33x12cm Paintings - Oil on canvas, 33x33cm (left) 33x33cm (right)
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Multiple Visions (9 pieces)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, spectacles, paintings on linen and canvas paper, ink sketches), 3x (196x22x10cm) Paintings - Oil on canvas, 6x (196x22cm)
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Seven Butterflies (triptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, metal, etching, plaster, wire), 33x121x8cm Paintings - Oil on linen, 50x120cm (top) 80x120cm (bottom)
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Sphere and Cube (diptych)
Construction - Mixed media, (wood, seed shell), 30X35x8cm Painting - Oil on linen, 150x150cm
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Bronze sculptures
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Seeds of Mother Earth II Bronze sculpture with patinas 65x65x20cm Limited Edition 8 and 4 AP’s 70Kg
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When I Dream, I Fear Nothing Bronze Sculpture with patinas and Smoked Silver 38x36x16cm Limited Edition 8 and 4 AP’s 25kg
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Geological Column - What Lies Beneath the Unknown Bronze sculpture with Patinas and Smoked Silver 50x28x28cm Limited Edition 8 and 4 AP’s 65kg
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Love Poem
Bronze with blue patina 12cm diametre Limited Edition 50 1.5 kg
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Evolution of a sculpture I, II, III
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Evolutions of a Sculpture I Bronze sculpture with patinas Evolving a 3 piece sculpture composition Limited Edition 8 and 4 AP’s
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Evolutions of a Sculpture II Bronze sculpture with patinas Evolving a 3 piece sculpture composition Limited Edition 8 and 4 AP’s
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Evolutions of a Sculpture III Bronze sculpture with patinas Evolving a 3 piece sculpture composition Limited Edition 8 and 4 AP’s
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Artistic jewellery
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Sphere - Symbol of Life Bronze with patina, gold blend and pearl Limited Edition of 50
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Orbit
Bronze with patina and pearl Limited Edition of 50
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We are on a Roll Bronze with patina Limited Edition of 50
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Love Poem Bronze with patina Limited Edition of 50
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Stavros Kotsiréas was born in Athens in 1960. His family emigrated to Brisbane Australia in 1963 where he spent his early childhood, returning to Greece in 1968. Age thirteen Kotsiréas began his involvement in athletics (track & field 400 & 800m events), competing at championship level for sixteen years. In 1980 Kotsiréas was selected as a torch bearer for the Moscow Olympics. That same year he began a two-year apprenticeship with Vasilis Fotopoulos (stage and costume designer, painter and Oscar prize winner for the set and costume design for the film ‘ Zorba the Greek,’ ) who also became his mentor.
Kotsiréas’
first stage design project with Fotopoulos was in 1980 when he assisted him in the set design for the theatrical plays “The White Wedding” and “Emigrates” at the Art Theatre of Karolos Koun, both plays directed by Giorgos Lazanis. In 1984 Kotsiréas began six years of study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, The Netherlands. There the artist specialised in Painting, Drawing and Graphic Art and went on to complete a Master’s degree in Set and Costume Design.
Stavros Kotsiréas has presented his art in 35 solo and 72 group exhibitions and his work can be found in many
private, public and corporate collections. Since 1993 the artist lives and works in the United Kingdom. Kotsiréas is Artistic Director for the Athens-based art foundry, V&P. Tassis, who also cast and produce his sculptural work in bronze.
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I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED AND FOLLOWED MY WORK OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY MY WIFE DEBORAH AND CHILDREN DANIEL, LYDIA AND ADRIANA. SPECIAL THANKS GO TO JUNE FIELD, ANN HICKS AND ELOISE LAMBERT FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN ORGANIZING THIS EXHIBITION AND TO VANGELI AND PANAGIOTI HOUNTASI AND THE TEAM AT V&P TASSIS ART FOUNDRY FOR THE CASTING OF MY BRONZES. THANKS ALSO TO MY BROTHERS CHRISTOS AND ILIAS FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND PUBLISHING OF THIS e-Book AND TO DIMOSTHENI KOUKARA AND IOANNA SERAFI FOR THE GRAPHIC DESIGN. FINALLY, A HUGE THANK YOU TO Sir PETER BLAKE, ATHANASIO VARLAMI, Dr. CHRIS REHORST, ELENI MARKOPOULIOTI, IAN GRAHAM AND THE COPELAND PARK TEAM, CLARE TOMLISON, LANCE TREVELYAN, CAROLINE WEAVER, TAKI KOTSIOPOULO, NIKO METAXOTO AND COSMA MPEROVINO.
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JUXTAPOSITIONS LONDON ||| 29.05 / 11.06 2017 Monday - Sunday 11am - 9pm
Copeland Gallery Copeland Park & Bussey Building
133 Copeland Rd, Peckam, London SE15 3SN www.copeland.com Tel: 020 7635 0000 www.kotsireas.com | stavroskotsireas@gmail.com Tel. 07786 931083