Ioannis Karalias presents his solo painting exhibition Visual Notes, at the Arts Centre of the Municipality of Athens. His career as an architect, poet, painter and designer in Greece, Europe and America is presented as a retrospective exhibition but mainly as a poetic expression of his painting.

The artist is not defined as a creator through historical, social and cultural references. He explores nature and life through freedom. The norms, stereotypes, the limitations of formalistic values – in his personal space-time – are released, celebrated. It is the realm of the imaginary the field in which concepts and symbols are reconstituted in an organic, enigmatic way. Colour becomes associative poetry. Painting becomes a dialogue.

The curatorial activity, the partnership between theory and practice, took on a new democratic dimension: the curatorship of the exhibition was determined by the dialogue. The dialogue of image, sound, thoughts, colour. The works are presented. The thoughts are recorded. The curator takes notes of the artist’s thoughts and forms her own narrative. At the center of the painterly universe of senses, the human being, either present as a figure or as a trace, a thought.

In all works freedom of expression because ‘Freedom is to fight. To take part in personal and socio-political battles, to accept your defeats. And you will lose and you will win‘. (Ioannis Karalias)

His socio-political attitude is evident in his works and poetry. The poetic language goes hand in hand with visual artistic practice. His personal and artistic career in the USA brought him into contact with and influenced by the critical rawness of painters such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Willem de Kooning. Nature, man, primordial symbols coexist equally in the expressive psyche of the artist in a universe of surrealistic depictions of organic reconstruction and ultimately deconstruction and decomposition.

The work of Ioannis Karalias is poetically revolutionary, not defined by technical stereotypes. The perpetual multiplication of spiritual matter, memory, the transcendence of tradition and magic, find their everydayness and charm in the transcendence of the image.

Poetic lyricism, the imprints of life and the unconscious itself become colour. The artist invites the gaze, lets it wander, experience to be liberated.

Exhibition Curator: Margarita Kataga
Coordinated-Supervised by : Nikos Kanoglou

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue which will be available free of charge at the exhibition.

Arts Centre of the Municipality of Athens.
Vas. Sofias Eleftherias Park, 115.21, Athens, Greece

https://cultureisathens.gr/venue/kentro-texnon

Opening: Tuesday 18 February, 18.30-22.00

Duration: 18 February– 2 March 2025
Days & Hours: Tuesday through Friday: 11:00 – 19:00.
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 – 15:00

Guided tours by the curator and the artist:

Saturday 22 February : 12:00 – 13:00 

Saturday 2 March : 12:00 – 13:00